I’m back with you today with a new comforting recipe:stewed shredded beef, with a creamy polenta! This is again a recipe that headlines the products of Valtellina Valley as part of my participation in the “Taste the Alps” project.
As you know, I love comfort dishes like creamy polenta that stay smooth, so I made polenta with Valtellina Casera PDO, the typical cheese of the valley I told you about in my article Mountain Croc Monsieur. But the star of this article is at the top Valtellina Red Winemore specifically Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG That I used in this recipe… to boil the meat! Like beef bourguignon, I used red wine to flavor the meat during slow cooking. The idea is to honor the gastronomic excellence of the region in a dish designed to match the food and the wine! The result is a melting, soft flesh that becomes intensely aromatic as well as perfectly roasty… because you need character to go well with the wines of the region!
I’ve already told you about shredded beef or pulled beef, but I’ve never seen it presented here before, simmered in a sauce rich in flavor! so i hope this shredded beef boils in Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG will make you happy!
Pulled beef stewed in Valtellina red wine: Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG
The secret ingredient that gives meat character is actually red wine. But do you know about this wine, “Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG” and other wines from the region? I think a little tour of the productions is in order!
Valtellina: Wine Land
As a reminder, Valtellina is an alpine valley located in Italy, and specifically in Lombardy, between Switzerland and Italy. 200 km long, it is an area very rich in history and terrain. It is also the largest terraced wine region in Italy. It reminds me a little of the shores of Lake Geneva and Valais: the steep hills, covered by thousands of kilometers of dry stone walls, form a unique landscape of terraced vineyards.
Production, which was long a secret, has recently been exported, but these wines are still little known … even if they have everything to please!
photo credit: Roberto Moiola
Valtellina: The Nebbiolo of the Alpso
So we find red wines based on the majority of grape varieties: nebbiololocally called chiavenasca“. Nebbiolo is a very widespread grape variety in Italy, found in more exported names from Piedmont such as barolos Where barbarscos, Like its Piedmontese neighbors, Nebbiolo brings its own vigor and tannins, but has been able to develop its own identity in the region, in greater delicacy and sweetness.
different names
Behind Valtellina, there are many appeals, notably Sforzato di Valtellina DOCGWhich is the first dry red wine to receive this DOCG label (Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin) in Italy in 2003.
then we find Valtellina Superior DOCG Which are divided into 5 crus: GrUmelo, infernos, margogia, SaselaAnd valgela,
we do have Rosso di Valtellina DOCWhich is a wine that does not require aging, a “ready to drink” wine.
We have a surname Alpi Retich PGI, which allows more things through its IGP. That’s why we get still and sparkling wines, reds, rosés, or whites… in short, a wide range of experiences.
These wines are protected by the “Vince de la Valtelline” consortium, a fairly large group of stakeholders that aims to promote these wines, but since its creation in 1976, to enhance the appellation, its terroir and its heritage. And also to protect.
Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG: Red wine from dried grapes
sfursatAnother name for sforzato, sforzato, is obtained by pressing a selection of the best grains of Nebbiolo pre-dried. this operation is called Raisin, its purpose is to ensure that the grapes are concentrated in the sugar (after the water evaporates). The grapes are then fermented and aged for at least 20 months, so that the sugar turns into alcohol.
It is actually this stage of the cradle that gives Sforzato di Valtellina its unique identity. This unique piece of information, from the vine to the cellar work, makes Valtellina the standard-bearer of recognition around the world.
We get a wine that combines power with elegance and finesse, but which needs to be resisted on the plate. So I wanted a dish in his image. A stewed meat choice, with marked taste and intense aroma, therefore presented quite naturally.
Creamy Polenta with Valtellina Casera PDO with this Strong Sliced Beef
To serve up my shredded beef, I needed a side dish of my choice. It’s been a long time since I wanted to offer you the Sliced/Creamy Polenta Union, which replaces polenta with mushrooms! So I chose to make a creamy polenta, ultra creamy with character. I was hesitating in the middle bitto pdo And this Valtellina Kesara PDO, and I chose the latter because its fragrance is mild. So it brings the necessary roundness and this flavor of cheese, but it is prudent to let the flavor of the meat express itself!
Be warned, for this recipe, you’ll need to choose a polenta that isn’t instant! I recommend you refer to the cooking instructions, if the polenta should cook in less than 30 minutes, it is instant and should not be used for this recipe!
While doing some research to write this article, I realized that the region had a distinctive cuisine: Targana Polenta, which is a polenta with dices from Valtellina Casara PDO… Like what, the idea of combining polenta and this cheese with steamed shredded beef made perfect sense!!
Servings: 4 people
Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG for Pulled Beef
For Creamy Polenta with Valtellina Casera PDO
prepare stewed beef
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Oven to 110°C. preheat on
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Peel the carrots, onions and garlic cloves. Finely chop everything, as well as the celery stalks. to book.
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Cut the blade pieces into pieces about 6 cm from each side. Remove excess rind if there is any around the flesh. (Cutting the pieces allows for faster cooking).
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In a cast iron casserole that can go in the oven, heat the olive oil. Add the chunks and brown them on all sides for a few minutes. to book.
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Add the garnishes (onion, garlic, carrot, celery) to the pan and sweat for a few minutes.
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Add tomato puree and smoked paprika along with pieces of meat. mix well.
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Add Worcestershire sauce, broth and red wine. Mix gently. Finish with fleur de sel (adjust according to your broth), black pepper, bay leaf and a generous pinch of brine.
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Close the lid and bake for 4 hours.
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At the end of 4 hours of cooking, check the doneness: the meat should be tender and roasted well. If not, continue. When the meat is cooked, take it out and take it out in a vessel with the help of a fork.
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Mix the sauce so that it is homogeneous. If it is too liquid, reduce it. Toss the shredded meat with the sauce and keep warm until ready to serve. (Alternatively, reheat it while the polenta cooks on low heat).
Make Creamy Polenta
Note, this recipe requires you to select a Polenta That’s Not Instant , I recommend you refer to the cooking instructions, if the polenta should cook in less than 30 minutes, it is instant and should not be used for this recipe!
