Beef in Barolo Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What can I use instead of Barolo cooking? ›

You may substitute a Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel.

Use a marinade: Marinate the ground beef in a flavorful liquid such as Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or red wine before cooking. Add a flavorful liquid: Add a small amount of beef broth, tomato sauce, or red wine to the ground beef while it cooks to add extra flavor.

Consider the fat content of mince before you buy. Beef mince, and sometimes lamb, is graded by its fat content, and remember that some fat is desirable as it adds flavour and helps to keep the meat moist during cooking. The standard fat content of mince is 20%, but you can opt for a lean or extra-lean version.

For lovers of Barolo and Barbaresco, the great wines from the Langhe region in Piedmont, Italy, that wine would likely be Langhe Nebbiolo. It's made from the same grape in the same place, but unlike its superstar counterparts, it's incredibly cheap.

Beef tastes great when seasoned with oregano, rosemary, sage, garlic or a combination of these seasonings. Poultry gets an added burst of flavor with spices like paprika, lemongrass and saffron. Fish can be made more flavorful with dry mustard powder, thyme and turmeric.

Put the ground chuck in a large pot or Dutch oven and add seasonings. Add just enough water to cover the meat, bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for about an hour. Every 15 minutes or so break up the meat with a large spoon or a potato masher so that it isn't lumpy.

The calcium-rich properties of milk react with enzymes in the meat to gently soften the proteins. Whole milk (not reduced fat), buttermilk, and yogurt all get the job done – with a special nod to buttermilk and yogurt for their optimal tenderizing acidity levels.

Water: You'll need enough to fully submerge the beef in the pan. Place the ground meat in the pot first, then pour cold/tap water over it until it's covered. Seasonings: Use any type of seasonings or spices you like. Check below for some ideas!

How do you cook ground beef without drying it out? ›

Salt draws out moisture, drying the meat and creating steam while it cooks, preventing it from browning properly. Season the meat towards the end. Don't overcook the meat. For tender and moist ground hamburger, cook until no pink remains, and promptly remove from heat once it's done.

80% lean ground chuck (shoulder) will be the juiciest and most flavorful. It's also the grind I recommend for making burgers for the grill. It has the perfect fat-to-meat ratio. These burgers will still be juicy when grilled to the recommended internal temperature of 160 degrees.

Season the Ground Beef

When it comes to seasoning your ground beef, wait until after it has been browned and drained. Adding salt to raw ground beef pulls out moisture, drying the meat out and creating steam while it cooks, which prevents it from browning properly.

A Barolo is too expensive to use in a recipe. You would do just as well using a Barbera or Dolcetto, both made from Nebbiolo grapes as well, but much less expensive…

Marsala is a fortified wine and can be sweet or dry, though most usually the dry version would be used for cooking. Possible substitutes would be a dry Madeira wine or a darker sherry such as Oloroso. If you don't have these then you could also use port or red vermouth.

What can I use instead of marsala wine? The best substitute for marsala wine is madeira, another kind of fortified wine with a similar flavour profile. Other alternatives include other fortified wines such as commandaria, sherry, vermouth, and port.

Broth. Chicken or vegetable broth can be a flavorful replacement for white wine. You can even swap it in equal amounts (go for low-sodium broth so your dish doesn't end up too salty). Just keep in mind that broth won't add any acidity, so you might want to add a touch of white vinegar to achieve a similar tang.