Delicious Brasato al Barolo Recipe
- Simon
- Last Updated on June 25, 2024
Table of Contents
Brasato al barolo is the most delicious braised meat you will ever try. The beef is cooked in a barolo wine sauce along with plenty of incredible seasonings and herbs. The meat is tender, sweet and full of complex flavors. Plus, the barolo wine sauce is irresistable!
Once you try brasato al barolo, you will never want to cook a roast any other way. Serve the perfectly cooked beef over mashed potatoes, creamy polenta or alongside some roasted veggies. This is a perfect, hearty winter meal that you will crave all year long.
Barolo Wine Braised Beef
Brasato al barolo is a classic Italian dish that originally comes from the Piedmont region. The northern Italian area is known for it’s wine and also it’s beef. This delicious meal combines both of those things! In fact, the tender meat is named after the full bodied red wine that is used in the recipe- the barolo wine!
In addition to using a full bottle of barolo to roast the beef, the cooking liquid is also made with plenty of herbs that add tons of complex flavors to the meat and the sauce. Juniper berries, cinnamon and fresh thyme are just a few examples of the seasonings that make this dish so truly incredible.
So, grab that bottle of wine, get a beautiful cut of beef chuck and get ready to make the best, succulent meat dish of your life. While it does take a little bit of time for the beef to cook, it is well worth the wait!
Ingredients for Brasato al Barolo
Before you dive into this braised meat recipe, take a look at the ingredients you will need. Grab them all at the store so you are ready to make brasato al barolo anytime!
-
Beef Chuck roast – Look for a beef roast that is already ties with twine or string so you do not need to tie it up yourself.
-
Salt and pepper
-
Olive oil – Extra virgin olive oil is always the best.
-
Butter – Butter adds a creamy, rich texture to the sauce.
-
Onion – White onions or yellow onions are perfect for this recipe.
-
Carrots – About one medium carrot will give you 1/2 cup diced carrots
-
Celery – One large celery stalk is all you need!
-
Garlic – Three cloves of garlic will work.
-
Bay Leaves – Bay leaves add tons of flavor to the cooking liquid.
-
Sage – Keep the sage leaves whole so they are easier to remove after the beef is cooked.
-
Rosemary – Also keep the rosemary stalks whole for easy removal.
-
Thyme
-
Cloves
-
Juniper Berries – You may need to go to a specialty grocery store or order the berries online as this rare ingredient is hard to find.
-
Cinnamon Stick – You can use about a teaspoon of ground cinnamon if needed.
-
Barolo wine – You can use other dry red wines in place of barolo but if you want a true brasato al barolo like they make in the Piedmont region, you should stick with the real thing!
-
Beef broth – beef broth adds more, rich flavor to the sauce.
How to Make Brasato al Barolo Recipe
Making this perfect beef braised in delicious wine sauce is actually quite easy. The meat takes a little bit of time to cook but it is well worth the wait! Here is a quick look at how to make this perfect Italian recipe. More details are in the recipe card below.
-
Sear: Season the beef with salt and pepper then add it to a pot with hot oil. Sear the beef over medium high heat then remove it from the pan once one side has a nice golden brown crust.
-
Saute: Saute the veggies until translucent then add the seared beef back into the pot.
-
Make the Cooking liquid: Pour wine and beef broth into the pot then add the remaining ingredients including all the herbs.
-
Cook: Cover the pot and simmer the beef for about 2 hours over low heat.
-
Make the sauce: Remove the braised meat from the pot and set aside. Skim all of the loose seasonings out of the pot and discard. Puree the cooking liquid until very smooth then return the liquid to the pot. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until thick. For a thicker sauce, cook for 15-20 minutes.
-
Serve: Slice the tender beef and serve over mashed potatoes or creamy polenta. Pour the thick sauce over the meat and enjoy!
*Quick Tip
Sear the beef in the pot then place it in a slow cooker. Saute the veggies in the pot then add them to the crock pot along with the rest of the ingredients in the recipe. Cover and cook for 4 hours over high heat. Using a crock pot is a nice easy way to keep the temperature even and steady.
Easy Beef Brasied in Red Wine
Give this authentic Italian beef recipe a try and you are sure to fall in love with this incredible meal. Slow cooking beef in rich red wine is the absolute best way to make a perfect winter meal. Although this beef braised in wine is really good all year long. One bite of tender, juicy meat and you will be hooked! And if you are a fun of the classics, check out our Fiorentina Steak recipe. Enjoy!

Brasato al Barolo Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds beef chuck roast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil extra virgin
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1/2 cup carrot diced
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon juniper berries
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 750 ml Barolo wine
- 4 cups beef stock
Instructions
- Rub the beef with the salt and pepper all over. Tie the beef with two strings to help it hold it's shape during the cooking process.
- Add the olive oil to a large oven safe pot (a dutch oven or terra cotta pots are often used in Italian cooking) and heat over high heat. Add the seasoned beef to the hot oil and sear for about 5 minutes. A nice golden brown crust will develop on the bottom side of the beef. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.
- Keep the pan on the stove top but lower the heat to medium. Add the butter, onion, carrots and celery to the pot and saute the veggies for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. They should be soft and slightly browned.
- Add the beef back into the pot along with the garlic, all the seasonings and herbs, the wine and the beef stock. Bring the mix to a simmer then turn the heat down to low so the liquid is just barely simmering.
- Cover the pot and let the roast cook for 2 hours.
- Remove the meat from the pot and Set aside on a cutting board.
- Scoop all of the loose seasonings out of the pot, removing the bay leaves, juniper berries, cinnamon stick etc. There should be no loose herbs in the pot.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce until it is smooth. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook until thick, about 10 minutes.
- Slice the roasted beef and serve with the sauce.
Disclaimer: Please be aware that the food images displayed on this website are for illustrative purposes only. They do not represent the actual dishes or presentations you might achieve when following our recipes. While we strive to inspire your culinary journey, the appearance of your dishes may vary.
Frequent Asked Questions
What kind of meat is braised beef?
Pot roast beef if best for braising. While this large cut of beef has lots of connective tissue, it will all break down as the meat is slowly cooked, making it tender and delicious!
What does Al Barolo mean?
Al barolo means that the meat has beef cooked in Barolo wine.
How long does it take to braise beef?
It takes about two hours to slowly braise beef over the stove top. The beef should have an internal temperature of 155 degrees F.
What kind of meat is braciole made from?
Braciole is typically made with strips of beef. Beef round or top roast are often used and sliced into thin strips that are easy to roll.