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Alcatra da Terceira
Alcatra da Terceira: Terceira's beef pot roast in wine with allspice and bacon
Alcatra is the feast dish of Terceira, cooked for the Holy Spirit festivals of spring and summer in unglazed clay pots that go into the bread oven after the loaves come out. Big pieces of beef braise for hours in wine with onions, bacon, allspice and bay, until the meat falls apart and the sauce turns dark and spiced. It is served with slices of massa sovada to soak up every drop. This contains pork (streaky bacon) and uses red wine; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of beef stock with 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Chef's tip: crush the allspice just before using; whole berries give the sauce its warm, clove-like scent.
- Total time
- 260 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 325°F (275°F fan). Season 3 ⅓ lb beef shin or chuck with 2 tsp salt.
Step 2: Lay 5 ½ oz smoked streaky bacon over the base of a heavy casserole or clay pot with a lid. Cover with half of 1 ½ onions and 5 garlic cloves.
Step 3: Arrange the beef on top and tuck in 10 allspice berries, 10 black peppercorns, 3 whole cloves and 3 bay leaves. Sprinkle with 1 tsp sweet paprika and cover with the rest of 1 ½ onions. Dot with 1 ¾ oz butter.
Step 4: Pour in 2 cups red wine; it should come about two-thirds of the way up the meat. Cover with the lid.
Step 5: Cook in the oven for 3½–4 hours, turning the beef once halfway, until it is dark, glossy and falls apart when pressed with a spoon. A common mistake is cooking it at a higher temperature to save time: the meat tightens and dries before it turns tender.
240 minStep 6: Skim off some of the fat, taste the sauce for salt and serve straight from the pot, with thick slices of bread or massa sovada.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 580 kcal
- Protein
- 58 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does alcatra da Terceira take?
- About 260 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 240 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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