BEEF DAUBE

Beef DaubeMakes 6 servings

4 pound whole bone-in beef short rib or 3 pound beef chuck roast

Salt, to taste

Pepper to taste

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large onions, medium diced

4 ribs celery, medium diced

4 carrots, medium dice or oblique cut

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

2 cups dry red wine

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

4 dried bay leaves (or 2 fresh ones)

A pinch of freshly ground nutmeg (Less than 1/4 of a nutmeg kernel grated on a grater or microplane - about 4 passes on microplane.)

3 cups chicken stock

12 small red bliss potatoes, cut in half

Season beef liberally with salt and pepper and leave in the refrigerator uncovered for 4-plus hours or overnight.

Cold smoke beef over hard wood for 30 minutes. This is easily done on a charcoal burning grill by setting 5 pounds of briquette coals up on one side and adding 1 cup of hardwood chips. Set the beef on the opposite side of the grill and close the lid. Close the vent hole 90 percent of the way so that minimum smoke is escaping. Do not open for 30 minutes. The fire may go out, but that is OK.

Sear the beef. If the fire is still going in grill, can add a few briquettes and sear the beef over medium hot coals. Otherwise heat a Dutch oven over medium high heat, add vegetable oil and sear beef on all sides to golden brown color.

If you seared beef over charcoal, add vegetable oil to Dutch oven, heat, and add  add onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Sweat until the onions soften. If you seared beef in Dutch oven, remove beef and set aside before cooking vegetables as described above. Scrape bottom of the pan to loosen the fond (bits of beef stuck to the pan.)

Pour in red wine to deglaze pan. Reduce by 1/3.

Return beef and add herbs, nutmeg and stock. Bring to slow simmer.

Cook covered in oven at 275 degrees for approximately 2-1/2 hours, until fork tender.

Remove beef and allow to cool enough to handle. Remove bones if using short ribs.

While beef is cooling, bring liquid up to a slow boil and add potatoes. Cook until easily pierced with the tip of a knife.

Cut beef into 6 equal portions and return to the liquid.

Gently reheat beef and serve with vegetables in shallow bowls, covered in the cooking liquid.