Recipes Main Dishes Beef Italian Braised Beef and Potatoes 4.9 (15) 11 Reviews 4 Photos Italian braised beef and potatoes is one of my favorite dishes of all time. If you crave meat and potatoes, this is the ultimate in simple, rustic, and comforting. I'm using beef shank, because it's one of the toughest cuts of beef, and the tough cuts really do braise the best. By John Mitzewich John Mitzewich John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on January 8, 2024 Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 4 4 4 4 Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs 10 mins Total Time: 3 hrs 25 mins Servings: 4 large servings Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe As I’ve probably bragged about before, I’m half Italian on my mother’s side. I feel very fortunate to have grown up eating lots of rustic, Italian-inspired food — and this very comforting braised beef and potatoes is a great example. My mother’s version might not have been done exactly like this, as she may have used beef shoulder and not added the wine, but the soul of the dish is the same. By the way, my dad was the one I remember teaching us about the magic of marrow, although he didn’t use the handle of a spoon. We were taught to pick the bone up and suck as hard as we could, which is just as effective and way more fun. We also learned at a later date not to use that technique in a restaurant. Anyway, no matter how you extract the marrow, this is one of the great “meat and potato” eating experiences of all time, and I really do hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy! More recipes: Try the latest and greatest recipes from Chef John! Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 4 large servings servings 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 3 pounds beef shank, cut into thick cross sections (osso buco-style) 1 large yellow onion, diced 1 cup chopped celery 2 tablespoons tomato paste 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, or 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary 1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano 1/2 cup white wine 2 cups beef broth or chicken broth 1 bay leaf 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks 1/2 cup water 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley (optional) 1 fresh lemon, cut into wedges Directions Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Mix salt, black pepper, and cayenne together in a small bowl, and generously season both sides of beef. Reserve remaining seasoning mix to use later in the recipe. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over high heat; add beef to the pot and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on both sides. Remove beef to a plate; set aside. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and celery to the pot with a large pinch of seasoning. Cook, stirring, until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and dried herbs, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in wine, and cook for a few minutes until most of the wine has disappeared. Add broth and bay leaf, and turn heat to high to bring the pot back to a simmer. Add beef back in; baste with some of the cooking liquid. Roast, covered, in the preheated oven until meat is almost fork tender, but not falling off the bone, about 2 hours. Drizzle potato pieces with olive oil, and sprinkle with a big pinch of the seasoning mix, or just some salt. Spoon a few tablespoons of beef fat from the top of the braising liquid over the potatoes, and mix well. Transfer potatoes in and around beef. Rinse the bowl with about 1/2 cup water and add to the pot. Cover; roast at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) until meat and potatoes are very tender, about 1 hour more. Serve in a bowl with cooking liquids spooned over. Sprinkle with parsley and chili flakes and serve with fresh lemon wedges. John Mitzewich Chef's Notes: If you can't find beef shanks, thick-cut beef chuck steak will also work.If you use fresh herbs, use 2 to 4 times as much as the amounts specified for dried herbs. I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 1124 Calories 33g Fat 79g Carbs 125g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Calories 1124 % Daily Value * Total Fat 33g 43% Saturated Fat 10g 48% Cholesterol 265mg 88% Sodium 1363mg 59% Total Carbohydrate 79g 29% Dietary Fiber 12g 44% Total Sugars 15g Protein 125g 250% Vitamin C 136mg 151% Calcium 246mg 19% Iron 18mg 99% Potassium 3410mg 73% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.