Looking for something easy to make and perfect on a cold night? Look no further, the WOT Test Kitchen has whipped up a recipe that is sure to please.
Out of the Women of Today Test Kitchen comes this hearty, Braised Beef with Plantains and Chipotle Aioli that is bursting with flavor.
WOT we love about this dish: you can make it in a Dutch oven, slow cook it in your oven, or use a slow cooker. The Chipotle Aioli can also be made a day or two in advance, and this meal comes together quickly. If there are any leftovers, and we do mean if, this dish tastes just as good a night or two later.
Braised beef is a meal you typically see served with mashed potatoes, but we made our version with plantains and the result was fantastic. Often confused with bananas, plantains are a starchy staple of many Latin American dishes and are a great replacement for potatoes in a meal. If you’ve never tried them, this is your chance… you won’t be sorry!
Braised Beef with Plantains and Chipotle Aioli
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp. light olive oil (divided)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 stalks of celery, chopped
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 3-4 lbs. beef chuck
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 2 cups beef broth or stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 4 ripe plantains (peeled, sliced lengthwise in half and chopped into 1 ½ inch pieces)
- brown rice
- black beans
- chipotle aioli for serving (next recipe)
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven over medium heat or if you have a slow cooker with stove top setting.
- Sauté the onions, celery, and carrots for a few minutes, or till the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to coat and cook for a few minutes.
- Remove the vegetables from the Dutch oven or slow cooker and set aside.
- Pat the chuck roast dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the Dutch oven or in the slow cooker that has a stovetop setting.
- Add the seasoned chuck to the pot and brown for 5 minutes, flip and brown the other side for another 5 minutes.
- Remove the chuck from the pot and add the 2 cups of beef stock. Gently stir, lifting any of the browned pieces from the bottom of the pot.
- Return the browned chuck to the pot and top with the sauteed vegetables. Add the 2 bay leaves, and if using a Dutch oven, place in a 300-degree oven for 3-4 hours. If using a slow cooker, cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
- About 30 minutes before serving, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of butter, the 1-½” pieces of plantains, and cook until caramelized and light brown with dark edges. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- Remove the braised beef from the pot.
- Remove the Bay leaves from the pot.
- You can use an emersion blender to blend the vegetables and stock in the pot to make a quick gravy to serve on the side.
- Plate the braised beef on top of the brown rice, and add black beans along with cooked plantains. Drizzle the chipotle aioli over the beef. Serve with gravy on the side.
Chipotle Aioli
Ingredients
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp. honey
- 1/2 tsp . salt
- 2 tbsp. chipotle in adobe sauce
- 1/4 cup light olive oil
Instructions
- Place yolks, lemon juice, garlic, honey, salt, and chipotle in a small food processor or use a vessel that will work with an immersion blender.
- With the processor or blender running, slowly pour in the oil. Process until aioli forms and thickens, about a minute.
- You can store the aioli in the refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to plate and serve.
- Using a plastic bag, place a few tablespoons of the aioli in the bag and cut off a small corner so you can pipe the aioli over the plated beef.
Enjoy!
Making this recipe? Be sure and share it with us on the WOT Instagram or Facebook!
All photos by Lorianne DeVita
