Name: Peposa Dell'Impruneta (Tuscan Black Pepper Beef)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 210 min
Total time: 220 min
Ingredients: 6 beef short ribs (8 to 10 oz. each); 1 tablespoon kosher salt; 8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns, freshly crushed; 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper; 3 sage leaves; 3 small sprigs fresh rosemary; 2 bay leaves; 2 cups red wine, preferably Chianti; salt to taste, to adjust sauce

Peposa Dell'Impruneta (Tuscan Black Pepper Beef)

4.9

(63)

48 Reviews

14 Photos

The story goes that terracotta tile workers in Impruneta, Tuscany, would place this stew into clay pots and cook it in their still-hot kilns overnight where it would be ready in the morning. They used a lot of pepper because the meat was not always top quality. The amount of pepper is up to you--I used a ridiculous amount, but even so it wasn't overpowering.

Prep Time:

10 mins

Cook Time:

3 hrs 30 mins

Total Time:

3 hrs 40 mins

Servings:

Yield:

6 servings

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

6 beef short ribs (8 to 10 oz. each)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns, freshly crushed
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
3 sage leaves
3 small sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
2 cups red wine, preferably Chianti
salt to taste, to adjust sauce

Directions

Place meat in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle all sides generously with 1 tablespoon kosher salt.
Place chopped garlic and a pinch of salt in a mortar and mash with pestle until pastelike. Add tomato paste; mash until blended. Transfer mixture into bowl with beef and rub onto all sides of meat. Add crushed peppercorns and ground pepper. Distribute evenly over all sides of beef. Transfer to a deep skillet or Dutch oven bone side down. Tuck sage leaves, rosemary, and dry bay leaves between pieces of meat. Carefully add wine along the side of the pan to avoid washing over the top of the meat.
Place pan over high heat and bring to a simmer; reduce heat to low. Cover tightly. Cook until meat is fork tender, turning pieces every 30 minutes or so, about 3 1/2 hours. Transfer pieces of meat to a warm bowl.
Increase heat to high and bring braising liquid to a boil. Simmer until liquid is reduced by about half or until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove bones from meat.
When sauce is thickened, transfer meat back to skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low and spoon sauce over meat. Cook until until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Chef John

Chef's Note:

Beef shank is traditionally used for this recipe, but the short ribs worked really well. You could even use chunks of beef chuck, but would need to adjust cooking time. Just remember, cook until a fork goes easily into the meat.

This is delicious served over polenta, but you could also serve it over rice or pasta.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

655	Calories
52g	Fat
5g	Carbs
28g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 655
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 52g	67%
Saturated Fat 22g	111%
Cholesterol 116mg	39%
Sodium 1075mg	47%
Total Carbohydrate 5g	2%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 28g
Vitamin C 3mg	13%
Calcium 44mg	3%
Iron 4mg	23%
Potassium 445mg	9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.