Braised Beef

By carvalhohm

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 4 lbs beef round, lean only, cut into 48 (1 1/2-inch) cubes
• 2 large yellow onions, chopped
• 2 dried figs, minced
• 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp stemmed fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 4 bay leaves
• 4 cups (1 quart) reduced-sodium beef broth

Details

Servings 16
Adapted from weightwatchers.com

Preparation

Step 1

Position rack in lower third of oven, so that a large, covered Dutch oven can fit with several inches of headspace to spare. Heat oven to 325°F.

Spray a large Dutch oven with cooking spray; set over medium heat for 2 minutes. Brown meat in batches without crowding the pot, turning pieces to make sure they get well browned on each side, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer pieces to a bowl, spray Dutch oven with additional nonstick spray between batches if you notice too much sticking; continue browning additional batches and transferring meat to bowl.

Add onions to pot; cook, stirring often, until softened and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add figs, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, allspice and bay leaves. Stir over heat for 1 minute, then pour in broth. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits on pot’s bottom.

Return meat and any accumulated juice to pot. Bring to a full simmer, cover and set in oven. Braise until meat is fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Store, covered, in refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Serving size: 3 cubes of meat with 3 tablespoons sauce

WW Points Plus: 4

Serves 16

Roast some Brussels sprouts and carrots while the beef braises. For each serving, use 1 large carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces, and 6 small Brussels sprouts, stems trimmed and any yellow leaves discarded. Mix vegetables in a roasting pan, give them a generous grind of black pepper, spray them with nonstick spray, and roast in a preheated 325°F oven for 1 hour, tossing occasionally, until tender but still crisp. Serve these with the braised beef.
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Braised Beef Wrap with Horseradish Cream:
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For each serving, mix 1 1/2 tablespoons lowfat sour cream, 1 1/2 teaspoons prepared white horseradish and 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Lay one whole-wheat tortilla or flatbread (suitable for wraps) on your work surface. Spread with horseradish sour cream. Slice three cubes of braised beef and set them on tortilla or flatbread. Top with 1/4 cup bagged shredded cabbage. Roll to enclose filling.
Tips, hints and suggestions
1. The horseradish sour cream can be doubled, tripled — in other words, made up in larger batches. It can be made up to 4 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate for more wraps during the week.
2. For a tangier wrap, substitute squeezed, drained sauerkraut for the bagged cabbage.
3. Seal wrap tightly in plastic wrap to carry it to work. Keep refrigerated.
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Chinese Beef Stir-Fry:
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For 4 servings, quarter 12 braised beef cubes; set aside. Heat a large wok over medium-high heat. Swirl in sesame oil; add frozen bell-pepper strips (no need to thaw), jarred minced ginger and minced garlic. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, until bell peppers begin to wilt. Add beef; stir-fry for 2 minutes, or until beef is warmed through. Add 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce and 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar. Bring to a simmer, tossing all the while. Cook for 1 minute before serving over brown rice.

Tips, hints and suggestions
1. Blot braised beef dry before quartering it and adding it to stir-fry.
2. Look for multicolored frozen bell-pepper strips for a more pleasing dish.
3. If you’re pushed for time, stop in at a Chinese restaurant and buy a couple cartons of brown rice.
4. For some kick, add 1 teaspoon sambal or Asian chili paste to the soy-sauce and seasoned-rice-vinegar mixture.
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Quick Shepherd’s Pie:
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For 4 servings, quarter 12 braised beef cubes; toss in an 8-inch square pan with 2 cups frozen peas and carrots (no need to thaw), 1/2 cup braising juice and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Dollop 2 cups mashed potatoes over top of casserole; use a moistened rubber spatula to spread these to cover the filling, sealing them to the edges. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 40 minutes, until potatoes are browned and filling is bubbling underneath. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Tips, hints and suggestions
1. For more flavor, add 2 teaspoons dried herbes de Provence with the beef.
2. If you like a saucier casserole, use 1 cup braising liquid.
3. Look for plain premashed potatoes in pouches in the produce section or deli case of your supermarket. If possible, buy a reduced-sodium version — and certainly one without added flavorings so that the flavor of the braised beef will shine through in this simple casserole.
4. For a richer casserole, sprinkle 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano over mashed potatoes before baking.