Juicy, tender, flavorful beef inside a flaky, buttery crust. This recipe will have you making the most delicious braised beef empanadas in the comfort of your own home.
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.
For the Empanada Dough
Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Using your hands, or a food processor, cut butter into flour until pea-sized. Add water and egg and mix until a dough forms. Next, turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Once your dough is chilled and your filling is cooled, divide your dough in half and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll one half out to ¼” thick. Using a 4.5” round cookie cutter, cut out rounds. Repeat with remaining dough.
To form your empanadas, lightly moisten outer edge of your dough round with water and place 2 tablespoons of your filling in the center. Fold in half over filling and using a fork to crimp the edges together. Repeat with remaining filling and dough.
Place empanadas on prepared baking sheets and brush with egg wash. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.
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
Empanada Dough
- 3 c. all-purpose flour plus more for surface
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 c. cold butter cut into cubes
- 3/4 c. water
- 1 large egg
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.
For the Dough
- Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Using your hands, or a food processor, cut butter into flour until pea-sized. Add water and egg and mix until a dough forms. Next, turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Once your dough is chilled and your filling is cooled, divide your dough in half and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll one half out to ¼” thick. Using a 4.5” round cookie cutter, cut out rounds. Repeat with remaining dough.
- To form your empanadas, lightly moisten outer edge of your dough round with water and place 2 tablespoons of your filling in the center. Fold in half over filling and using a fork to crimp the edges together. Repeat with remaining filling and dough.
- Place empanadas on prepared baking sheets and brush with egg wash. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.