Bollito Misto alla Piemontese
A comforting Piedmontese classic of mixed boiled meats served piping hot with vibrant herb and fruit sauces. This household version scales the traditional grand feast down to four succulent cuts.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 180 min
- Total
- 210 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 780 kcal
Equipment
- •Large stockpot
- •Medium saucepan
- •Slotted spoon or skimmer
- •Tongs
- •Carving board and sharp knife
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 780 kcal
- fat
- 56 g
- carbs
- 8 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 58 g
- calories
- 780 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Fill a large stockpot with cold water and add the carrots, celery, clove-studded onion, parsley, peppercorns, and sea salt.
- 2
Bring the seasoned water to a vigorous rolling boil over high heat.
- 3
Lower the beef brisket and fresh tongue into the boiling broth, cover partially, and reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
- 4
Skim any grey froth from the surface continuously during the first twenty minutes of cooking.
- 5
Prick the cotechino sausage skin gently with a toothpick in several places to prevent bursting.
- 6
Place the cotechino in a separate saucepan of cold water, bring to a simmer, and cook gently for two hours.
- 7
After the beef has simmered for two hours, add the chicken pieces to the main stockpot.
- 8
Simmer all meats together for one further hour until the beef and tongue are tender when pierced with a fork.
- 9
Lift the tongue onto a board, cool slightly, and peel away the tough outer white skin with a small knife.
- 10
Drain the cotechino, discard its cooking liquid, and slice the sausage into thick rounds.
- 11
Carve the brisket, peeled tongue, and chicken into generous portions and arrange them immediately on a warmed platter.
- 12
Ladle hot, clear beef broth over the meat to keep it moist, and serve alongside bagnèt verd and mostarda.
Chef's tips
Always add beef to boiling water rather than cold water to seal in juices and keep the meat succulent. Always simmer the cotechino in its own separate pan, or its heavy pork fat and spices will cloud and overpower the delicate beef broth.
Ingredient substitutions
- beef tongue (lingua di bue) → beef shank (garretto) or ox cheek
- cotechino → zampone (stuffed pig's trotter) or quality coarse pork boiling sausage
- mostarda di frutta → bagnèt ross (piquant sweet-sour tomato and red pepper sauce)
Storage
Store leftover carved meats submerged in strained broth in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat gently by simmering the meat slices directly in the reserved broth over low heat until hot throughout.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Cooking the cotechino in the main beef broth, which makes the soup greasy and excessively salty.
- •Boiling the meats too violently rather than maintaining a very gentle, steady simmer, which toughens the muscle fibres.
- •Waiting until the tongue has cooled completely before peeling, making the skin stick stubbornly to the meat.
Serving suggestions
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