Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pound bone-in chuck steak, or 2 pounds of boneless
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoon to 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, with juice
Preparation
Baking Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Season the meat on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a large ovenproof skillet over high heat and swirl in the olive oil.
Brown the meat on both sides.
Remove the meat from the skillet and take the pan off the heat.
2.Stir into the pan the garlic, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, tomato paste and whole tomatoes.
Mash up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon, return the meat to the pan, spoon the sauce over it, and cover tightly.
3.Braise in the oven for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Uncover and cook for an additional 30 minutes, until the sauce has thickened up.
Serving Directions:
Serve with bread or polenta and sautéed Swiss chard on the side.
Or, present it as a “sauce,” with all the meat shredded uniformly and tossed with a pound of big, boy-size pasta such as rigatoni and with a fluffy cloud of grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Tips:
The secret of this dish is to use fatty meat with big bones, such as chuck steak, one of the most affordable and flavorful cuts of meat you can buy, which makes it perfect for guys.
