Tocco de Carne
A classic Genoese slow-braised beef sauce made from a whole piece of meat, yielding a rich sauce for pasta and tender beef to enjoy afterwards.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 180 min
- Total
- 200 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 540 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy casserole or Dutch oven
- •Wooden spoon
- •Chopping board
- •Chef's knife
- •Fine mesh sieve
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 540 kcal
- fat
- 34 g
- carbs
- 12 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 46 g
- calories
- 540 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in warm water for fifteen minutes, then drain and chop finely, reserving the strained liquid.
- 2
Pat the whole piece of beef dry with kitchen paper and season thoroughly with salt and black pepper.
- 3
Heat the olive oil in a heavy casserole over medium-high heat until hot.
- 4
Sear the beef on all sides for eight to ten minutes until deeply browned, then remove to a plate.
- 5
Lower the heat to medium and add the diced onion, carrot, celery, and chopped porcini to the pot.
- 6
Cook gently for ten minutes until the vegetables are soft, sweet, and lightly coloured.
- 7
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for two minutes until it darkens to a rich brick-red colour.
- 8
Pour in the red wine and reserved mushroom soaking liquid, scraping up any caramelised bits from the bottom.
- 9
Return the beef to the pot along with the tomato passata, bay leaf, rosemary sprig, and hot stock.
- 10
Bring to a gentle simmer, cover tightly, and turn the heat to the lowest setting.
- 11
Simmer slowly for three hours, turning the meat occasionally, until the sauce is thick and the beef is completely tender.
- 12
Remove the meat to serve separately, and use the glossy, savoury sauce to dress freshly cooked pasta.
Chef's tips
Select a cut with good marbling and connective tissue so the beef stays succulent during the long simmer. Keep the heat at the gentlest simmer to avoid boiling the meat dry. Strain the mushroom liquid through a fine sieve before adding to avoid any residual grit.
Ingredient substitutions
- dried porcini mushrooms → 1 extra tablespoon of tomato paste for savoury depth
- dry red wine → dry Ligurian white wine, such as Pigato or Vermentino
Storage
Store the cooked sauce and whole meat together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat with a few tablespoons of water until piping hot throughout.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Cubing or mincing the beef rather than keeping it as a single whole piece.
- •Boiling the sauce rapidly instead of maintaining a very low, gentle simmer.
- •Rushing the initial browning step, which deprives the sauce of deep roasted flavour.
Serving suggestions
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