Beef slowly braised in dry red wine, with caramelized onions, fennel and a touch of rhubarb, without flour or starch.
Marbled beef turns tender over several hours in dry red wine, while the onions brown and thyme, sage and a touch of fennel infuse the Dutch oven with their aromas. Rhubarb adds a bright acidity at the end of cooking. For two servings, allow 15 minutes of preparation and around 4 hours 30 minutes of cooking, for a sauce that coats the back of a spoon without flour or starch. One to file alongside my keto main dishes.
What is slow-braised beef in red wine?
Braising means cooking slowly over steady heat, with the lid on. In beef braised in red wine, the wine is the main braising liquid: it simmers just enough to tenderize the meat and concentrate the juices.
During this long cooking process, collagen gradually turns into gelatin. The juices thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon without flour or starch, keeping the dish low in carbohydrates.
The tradition of dishes braised in red wine
Dishes braised in red wine are part of French home cooking. They call for slow cooking, controlled heat and a cut of meat that becomes tender rather than drying out.
This version keeps the spirit of a classic wine-braised dish, with a more pronounced aromatic profile: fennel brings an anise note, rhubarb adds acidity, and paprika and sage give the sauce more character. Fresh rhubarb is mainly available in spring and early summer, and only its stalks are used in cooking.
The main ingredients
Two generous, well-marbled pieces of chuck or braising beef stand up to the long cooking time and release the gelatin that thickens the sauce. A cut that is too lean would lose tenderness. Two sliced red onions, sautéed and then caramelized over low heat, balance the acidity of the wine, balsamic vinegar and rhubarb.
The fennel, thinly sliced and added about an hour before the end, becomes tender without falling apart. Four rhubarb stalks bring a fruity acidity to the cooking juices, balancing the richness of the wine and beef. For seasoning, use two teaspoons of paprika for gentle warmth and color, two of dried thyme, one of dried sage and one of fennel seeds ground in a mortar.
The red wine, half a small bottle, preferably dry, serves as the braising liquid and loosens the browned bits stuck to the Dutch oven. A splash of balsamic vinegar adds depth. For cooking, avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil stands up to the heat; butter, especially from grass-fed cows, adds color and a creamy richness.
Cooking tips and serving suggestions
Let the chuck steaks come to room temperature, then sear them to brown the meat without burning it, pushing the onions to one side of the Dutch oven. Cooking the onions slowly for 15 to 30 minutes matters just as much as the braising: it gives the sauce its sweetness. Pour in the wine to deglaze, almost covering the meat, add a splash of vinegar, then cover and cook at the gentlest simmer, keeping an eye on the liquid level.
For another slow-braised beef dish in the same spirit, here is my beef stifado.
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The total time is around 4 hours 30 minutes, with at least 3 hours of simmering: go by the texture, a fork should slide in without resistance and the fibers should pull apart. The fennel goes into the Dutch oven an hour before the end, and the rhubarb only 10 to 15 minutes before serving, so it does not fall apart. To keep the meal low in carbohydrates, serve with cauliflower mash, air fryer zucchini or green vegetables such as stir-fried bok choy. The dish provides around 828 kcal per serving; the net carbohydrate content is not specified.
Beef Braised in Red Wine
Ingredients
- 2 generous pieces beef chuck or stewing beef or another well-marbled cut of beef
- 2 red onions
- 1 fennel bulb
- 4 stalks rhubarb
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 0.5 small bottle red wine
- a splash balsamic vinegar
- avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil for cooking
- butter (from grass-fed cows), as an alternative, for cooking
Instructions
- Take the beef chuck out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.2 generous pieces beef chuck or stewing beef
- Heat the Dutch oven and add a generous splash of mild olive oil and a good knob of butter. Thinly slice the onions and sauté until translucent. Then reduce the heat and leave to caramelize for at least fifteen minutes to half an hour.2 red onions, avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil, butter
- Coat the beef chuck with a generous splash of mild olive oil and a little balsamic vinegar. Finely grind the fennel seeds using a mortar or a small electric coffee grinder. Mix with the other herbs and spices. Season the meat with this mixture. Let the flavors infuse while the onions caramelize.2 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried sage, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, a splash balsamic vinegar
- Push the onions to one side. Briefly turn the heat up a little again. Add another knob of butter and sear the beef chuck on both sides.
- Deglaze with red wine, adding enough to almost cover the meat. Add a splash of vinegar as well. Simmer gently for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and check occasionally that there is enough liquid left. Turn the meat occasionally as well. Top up with wine or water if needed.0.5 small bottle red wine
- One hour before serving, cut the fennel into strips. To do this, I often quarter the fennel first, then cut it into slices/half-moons. Add to the meat. If necessary, add a little more wine or water. Put the lid back on the Dutch oven.1 fennel bulb
- Ten to fifteen minutes before serving, wash and chop the rhubarb. Add it and let it soften. Add more wine or water if needed.4 stalks rhubarb
