Garofolato is unknown to most people, even to the inhabitants of Rome themselves. Only a few Romans retain the memory of a slow-cooked beef.
The recipe for this dish is rich considering the spices (cloves) and above all the fine cut of meat. The first time that the recipe for beef Garofolato was codified and appeared in a text was in “Apicio Moderno” by chef Francesco Leonardi at the end of the eighteenth century.

Garofolato

  • Preparation time: 4 hours
  • Ingredients for 4-6 servings
  • Difficulty: Average difficult recipe

  • Ingredients
  • 1 kg of beef silverside
  • 250 g of peeled tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
  • 1 onion
  • 1 stick of celery
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 50 g of lard
  • 1 glass of red wine
  • 1 bunch of marjoram
  • 2-4 cloves
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  1. Instructions
  2. Dry the meat with a pepper. Chop finely: lard, marjoram, garlic, salt and pepper. Make some cuts in the meat and insert the lard.
  3. Tie the meat with string.
  4. Place the seasoned meat in a pan with oil, sear it for a few minutes on each side until it’s browned and then add the chopped onion, carrot and celery. Add a glass of red wine. When the alcohol has completely evaporated, add the tomato paste and the pureed peeled tomatoes and enough hot water to cover the meat.
  5. Cook over low heat and covered with a lid for approximately three hours. Add more water if it dries too much. Season with salt if needed.
  6. Remove the meat from the sauce and chop the vegetables with the mixer to make the sauce velvety.
  7. Cut the meat into large slices and serve with its sauce.

Tips to ensure the success of the dish:

  • Cut the meat longitudinally with a knife following the direction of the fiber, widening the hole created with your finger and inserting the lard inside. This technique is used to tenderize pieces of meat that are lean.
  • Cooking must be over a low heat and for a long period to ensure that the meat becomes tender. The silverside is the hardest working muscle of the beef and is therefore always quite tough. If you are not sure of the temperature of your stove you can cook everything in a cast iron pan in the oven at 325°F.