Wow your guests with a bite sized appetizer full of rich flavor and an elegant presentation. A delicious combination of red wine braised beef and tangy blue cheese butter topped with sweet caramelized onions. This one is a holiday gathering show stopper.
Making Braised Beef
Braising meats is one of my favorite cooking techniques. It is a simple method, yet its results are sophisticated and flavorful. Here are some of the things I love about braising:
- It is typically inexpensive. You do not have to shell out a lot of money for the perfect cut of meat. Anything from a chuck roast to a sirloin tip roast would accomplish the same results. The braising method will make any cut of meat tender and juicy.
- The ingredients are simple. A few simple spices and chopped vegetables give your braised beef all the flavor that it needs.
- Prep it and leave it. After a short prep time you can let your dutch oven do all the heavy lifting.
Lets Get Started
I adore my Dutch oven and I truly have found that it is the best tool for braising meats. Generously salt and pepper your eye of round, then sprinkle with your paprika and oregano. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the eye of round and brown all over, 4 to 5 minutes total. Remove to a plate.
Place the garlic, bell peppers, onions and thyme to the Dutch oven and cook until the vegetables just begin to brown, about 2 minutes. Then return your eye of round to the Dutch Oven and add the wine. Increase the heat to a boil and allow the wine to reduce down to a glaze, 1 to 2 minutes. Once that is done, add the broth and reduce the heat to low so that the liquid is simmering.
Finally, cover and place into your preheated oven and continue to cook until the meat gently falls apart, about 2 ½ to 3 hours.
Blue Cheese Butter Crostini with Caramelized Onions
I will let you in on a little secret, the crostini with the blue cheese butter and caramelized onions on its on is phenomenal. I could put the blue cheese butter on just about anything, and the sweet caramelized onions creates a delicate balance of flavors that will keep you wanting more.
But when you add the braised beef, you have a perfect symphony of elegant flavors that bring this appetizer to a whole new level.
Click on the link below to get the full blue cheese butter recipe.
In a large saucepan heat 1 tbsp. olive oil and add your sliced onions. Slowly sauté onions, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until soft and caramelized.
Arrange the baguette slices on a sheet tray in a single layer. Drizzle with the olive oil. Toast in the oven until just crisp but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Spread your blue cheese butter onto the toasted bread and broil until the cheese just begins to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
Top each cheese toast with a decent helping of the braised beef. Garnish with your caramelized onions and some chopped chives.
Braised Beef Crostini with Blue Cheese Butter and Caramelized Onions
Ingredients
Braised Beef
- 5 lbs. beef eye of round
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp oregano
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 1 orange bell pepper diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 small red onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic diced
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
Crostini
- Twelve 1/2-inch-thick slices baguette
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion sliced thin
- Blue cheese butter see recipe link
- Chives chopped for garnish
Instructions
Braised Beef
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Generously salt and pepper your eye of round, then sprinkle with your paprika and oregano. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the eye of round and brown all over, 4 to 5 minutes total. Remove to a plate.
- Add the garlic, bell peppers, onions and thyme to the Dutch oven and cook until the vegetables just begin to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the meat back in and add the wine, then increase the heat to boil the wine down to a glaze, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth and reduce the heat to low so that the liquid is simmering.
- Cover and place in your preheated oven and continue to cook until the meat gently falls apart, about 2 ½ to 3 hours.
Crostini
- In a large saucepan heat 1 tbsp. olive oil and add your sliced onions. Slowly sauté onions, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until soft and caramelized.
- Arrange the baguette slices on a sheet tray in a single layer. Drizzle with the olive oil. Toast in the oven until just crisp but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Spread your blue cheese butter onto the toasted bread and broil until the cheese just begins to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Top each cheese toast with a decent helping of the braised beef. Garnish with your caramelized onions and some chopped chives.