Alcatra

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large clay pot (alguidar) or 6-liter Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid
• •Aluminum foil (if using clay pot without tight seal)

Instructions

1. 1

   Layer the pot

   In a heavy clay pot or Dutch oven, drizzle half the azeite across the bottom. Layer half the onion rings across the base, then scatter half the garlic cloves and half the bacon over the onions. This is the bed your beef will sleep on for the next four hours. The layering matters. It's how the flavors build.

2. 2

   Season and arrange the beef

   Season the beef chunks generously with salt and pepper. Arrange them in a single layer over the onions and bacon, tucking the pieces close but not stacking them. Nestle the allspice, cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and peppercorns around and between the meat. These whole spices will perfume everything slowly, the way the Azorean grandmothers intended.

   Don't grind the spices. Whole spices release their oils gradually during the long braise. Ground spices turn bitter.
3. 3

   Add the final layer

   Cover the beef with the remaining onions, garlic, and bacon. Drizzle the rest of the azeite over everything. Pour the wine and beef stock down the sides of the pot, not over the top. The liquid should come about halfway up the meat. You're not making soup. You're braising.

4. 4

   Begin the slow braise

   Cover the pot tightly. If using a clay pot without a perfect seal, cover first with foil, then the lid. Place in a cold oven, then set the temperature to 150°C (300°F). Let it cook undisturbed for 3.5 to 4 hours. Do not lift the lid. Do not check on it. Do not peek. Trust the process. The Azorean grandmothers didn't hover and neither should you.

   Starting in a cold oven is traditional. The gradual rise in temperature is gentler on the meat and mimics the old wood-fired ovens of Terceira.
5. 5

   Check for doneness

   After 3.5 hours, finally lift the lid. The beef should be falling apart at the touch of a fork. The onions should have melted into the wine sauce. The kitchen should smell of warm spices, wine, and something deeply savory. If the meat resists, cover and cook another 30 minutes. This dish tells you when it's ready.

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Remove from the oven and let rest, covered, for 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools. Serve directly from the pot, spooning the wine sauce and melted onions over each portion. Bring bread to the table. Good bread, torn not sliced. The sauce is the treasure here. You'll want to mop up every drop.

Chef Tips

• •Use a clay pot if you have one. The porous material absorbs and radiates heat differently than metal, and generations of alcatra leave their flavor in the clay. A Dutch oven works, but the clay pot is the soul of the dish.
• •The wine should be something you'd drink. Nothing expensive, but nothing you wouldn't put in a glass. Azorean wines are ideal if you can find them. A rustic Portuguese tinto works perfectly.
• •Alcatra tastes even better the next day. Make it Saturday, reheat it Sunday. The flavors deepen overnight in ways that fresh alcatra can't match.
• •In Terceira, they serve this with massa sovada, the sweet eggy bread of the Azores. The sweetness against the savory wine sauce is extraordinary. If you can't find massa sovada, a brioche or challah comes close. Or use crusty bread. Just bring something to soak up that sauce.

Advance Preparation

• •The meat can be layered in the pot and refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature for 1 hour before cooking.
• •Alcatra improves dramatically when made a day ahead. Refrigerate overnight and reheat, covered, at 150°C (300°F) for 45 minutes.
• •Leftovers keep 4 days refrigerated. The cold braised beef makes excellent sandwiches with the jellied sauce spread on bread.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 300g)