A pure alpine charcuterie, where beef is rubbed with mountain herbs and red wine before patiently drying to reveal a tender center and a translucent garnet color.
Ingredients
- 1 kg fresh trimmed beef eye of round
- 350 g coarse grey Guérande sea salt
- 25 g granulated white sugar
- 2 tbsp whole Kampot black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp whole dried juniper berries
- 4 leaves dried bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary sprigs
- 3 cloves fresh white garlic cloves
- 15 cl dry Valtellina DOC or Nebbiolo red wine
- 4 tbsp cold-extracted extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 piece untreated lemon
Method
- Trim the beef eye of round using a very sharp knife, carefully removing any white silver skin and residual fat to expose flawless red meat.
- Coarsely crush the black peppercorns and juniper berries in a mortar. In a bowl, combine the crushed spices with the coarse sea salt, granulated sugar, crumbled bay leaves, and picked rosemary leaves.
- Crush the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife. Pour the dry red wine over the beef and rub the meat on all sides to moisten it.
- Massage the beef with the coarse salt, sugar, and herb mixture, pressing firmly to adhere the cure to every square inch of the meat.
- Place the meat with the crushed garlic cloves and the remaining salt mixture in the bottom of a deep glass or ceramic dish. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate in the bottom of the fridge at 4°C for ten to twelve days.
- Every day, turn the beef in its natural liquid brine and massage it briefly to evenly distribute the salt and flavors.
- At the end of the curing process, remove the meat from the dish. Rinse it thoroughly under a stream of cold water to remove any excess surface salt, then pat it dry carefully with a clean kitchen towel.
- Wrap the beef in a clean, breathable cotton cheesecloth, then tie it firmly with butcher's twine like a roast to maintain an even cylinder.
- Hang the meat in a dark, well-ventilated, and cool room, ideally between 10°C and 14°C, or place it on a raised wire rack in the refrigerator. Let it dry for three to four weeks, until the meat becomes dense and firm to the touch.
- Untie the twine and remove the cheesecloth. Cut the bresaola into very thin, almost translucent slices using a meat slicer or a long, sharp scalloped knife.
- Arrange the slices in a single layer on a large platter, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, and add a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 264 kcal
- Protein
- 25.98 g
- Carbohydrate
- 4.57 g
- Fat
- 14.73 g
- Fibre
- 1.15 g
- Calcium
- 21.01 mg
- Iron
- 0.62 mg
- Magnesium
- 18.4 mg
