Barolo-Braised Veal

• Recipe by Giorgio Rivetti

The veal marinates overnight in Barolo, so plan accordingly. If you can't find an affordable Barolo, try a Nebbiolo d'Alba; it's made from the same grape.

Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 bottles Barolo (4 1/2 cups)
2. 3 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
3. 3 bay leaves
4. 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
5. 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
6. 2 whole cloves
7. One 4-pound boneless veal shoulder roast, tied
8. Salt and freshly ground pepper
9. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10. 1 cup veal or beef stock or low-sodium broth

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine the wine, celery, bay leaves, onions, carrots and cloves. Add the veal and marinate overnight in the refrigerator, turning a few times. 
2. The next day, remove the veal from the marinade and pat dry; reserve the marinade. Season the veal with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Add the veal and cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Add the reserved marinade and the veal stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the veal, skimming as necessary and turning the meat halfway through, until it's tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 140�, about 2 1/2 hours. 
3. Transfer the veal to a carving board and cover loosely with foil. Strain the cooking liquid into a medium saucepan and boil until reduced to 2 cups, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Discard the strings from the roast and carve it into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Serve with the braising liquid.

Serve With

Cooked carrots and creamy polenta.

Notes

Cooking Club Tip: If you don’t have time to marinate the veal overnight, try to let it sit in the wine mixture for at least 4 hours, the last hour at room temperature.

Braising is the secret to making tough, inexpensive cuts of meat succulent. Before braising, brown the meat; then cook it slowly in a tightly lidded pot with a small amount of liquid. Enameled cast-iron pots are ideal for braising because they maintain constant levels of heat, but stainless steel and anodized aluminum pots are good alternatives.