Beef Braised in Beer

I was very confused to find this recipe in an Italian cookbook, since it seems so German to me, but apparently in the Trentino-Alto Adige region of northern Italy they braise beef in beer.  And add mustard.  Whether it be Italian or German, it’s tasty.  If you are going for an even more German flavor, add the pickles at the end.

My mom makes a German dish called rouladen, that is onions, bacon, mustard and pickles wrapped in a thin slice of beef.  Rouladen has a very similar in flavor to this, but requires a lot more work.  This is kind of like rouladen stew. It’s a slow cooked dish, and I would try to braise the meat for at least 2-3 hours on very low heat.  It is a good use for an inexpensive cut of beef, like a shoulder roast or chuck pot roast.

Beef Braised in Beer or Brasato alla Birra
Adapted from Lidia Cooks From the Heart of Italy by Lidia Bastianich
Serves 4

4 oz thick-sliced slab bacon, cut in chunks
2 medium onions, but in chunks
3-4 pound boneless shoulder or chuck roast
About 2-3 tablespoons of flour
1-2 tablespoons olive oil as needed
One 12 oz bottle of flavorful beer or ale
Salt.
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ cup dill pickles, chopped (optional)

Heat a heavy 4 quart saucepan over medium heat.  Add the bacon and fry until crisp.  Remove the bacon, reserving the bacon grease in the pan.  Dust the beef roast with flour to lightly cover.  Heat the pan with the bacon grease to just above medium heat.  Add the beef, and brown on all sides.  Remove the beef and set aside.   If the pan is dry at this point add the olive oil before the onions. Add the onions to the pan and saute until translucent.  Add the beef and bacon back to the pan, and pour in the beer.  Add salt to taste–I do about ½ teaspoon to start. Briefly bring to a boil, then cover and turn down to a simmer.  Make sure the simmer is just under a boil.  Braise like this for 2-3 hours, turning the beef once or twice in the process.  The beef is ready when it is tender and falls apart with a fork.  Remove the beef from the pan and set on a serving platter.  Reduce the remaining liquid until it is slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon.  Add the mustard and pickles, adjust for salt, and cook over medium an additional 2-3 minutes.  Pour the sauce over the beef and serve.