Recipe

Slow-Braised Featherblade with Horseradish Cream & Roasted Roots

Name: Slow-Braised Featherblade with Horseradish Cream & Roasted Roots
Yield: 4–6
Ingredients: 1.2–1.4kg featherblade (flat iron) of beef, in one piece or cut into 2–3 large pieces; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 large onion, roughly diced; 2 carrots, roughly diced; 3 cloves garlic, crushed; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 300ml robust red wine; 500ml good beef or chicken stock (check label for gluten-free); 3 sprigs fresh thyme; 2 bay leaves; Sea salt and black pepper; For the horseradish cream: 150ml crème fraîche; For the horseradish cream: 2–3 tbsp grated fresh horseradish (or good-quality jarred horseradish, drained); For the horseradish cream: juice of ½ lemon; For the horseradish cream: sea salt; For the roasted roots: 3 medium parsnips, peeled and halved lengthways; For the roasted roots: 3 medium carrots, peeled and halved lengthways; For the roasted roots: 2 small beetroot, peeled and cut into wedges; For the roasted roots: 2 tbsp olive oil; For the roasted roots: 1 tbsp honey; For the roasted roots: sea salt and black pepper

Featherblade of beef braised for four hours in red wine and stock until it collapses into glossy shreds, served alongside horseradish cream and a tray of roasted winter roots. The kind of dish that justifies owning a casserole.

Serves 4–6

Ready in 4 hrs (mostly unattended)

Keeps 4 days fridge. Freezes well without the roots.

Level Moderate

1.2–1.4kg featherblade (flat iron) of beef, in one piece or cut into 2–3 large pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, roughly diced
2 carrots, roughly diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp tomato purée
300ml robust red wine
500ml good beef or chicken stock (check label for gluten-free)
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
Sea salt and black pepper
For the horseradish cream: 150ml crème fraîche
For the horseradish cream: 2–3 tbsp grated fresh horseradish (or good-quality jarred horseradish, drained)
For the horseradish cream: juice of ½ lemon
For the horseradish cream: sea salt
For the roasted roots: 3 medium parsnips, peeled and halved lengthways
For the roasted roots: 3 medium carrots, peeled and halved lengthways
For the roasted roots: 2 small beetroot, peeled and cut into wedges
For the roasted roots: 2 tbsp olive oil
For the roasted roots: 1 tbsp honey
For the roasted roots: sea salt and black pepper

Featherblade (also sold as flat iron steak or butler's steak) is a well-worked muscle from the shoulder with a central line of connective tissue running through it. This connective tissue dissolves completely during long braising, giving the meat its characteristic tenderness and the sauce its body. The cut is significantly less expensive than short rib or brisket and produces a comparable result. It needs a minimum of 3 hours 30 minutes to fully break down; at 3 hours it will still have some resistance. The dish is considerably better made a day ahead — the flavour deepens overnight and the sauce tightens as it cools. Skim the solidified fat from the surface the next day before reheating.

Method

Heat the oven to 160°C / 140°C fan. Pat the beef thoroughly dry and season generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof casserole over high heat until almost smoking. Brown the beef in batches if needed, 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply coloured all over — take your time here. Remove to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and carrots to the fat in the pan and cook for 8 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring to prevent catching. Pour in the red wine and let it bubble vigorously for 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the base. Add the stock, thyme and bay leaves. Season well.

Return the beef to the pan — it should be at least two-thirds submerged in the liquid. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover tightly with a lid, and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours, turning the beef over halfway through. It is ready when a skewer passes through the centre with no resistance and the meat is beginning to fall apart at the edges.

About 45 minutes before the beef is ready, turn the oven up to 200°C / 180°C fan for the roots. Toss the parsnips and carrots with the olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Toss the beetroot wedges separately with a little oil and salt — kept apart, they won't bleed colour onto the other roots. Spread everything across a large roasting tray and roast for 35–40 minutes, turning once, until caramelised and tender.

Make the horseradish cream while the roots roast: stir the crème fraîche, grated horseradish and lemon juice together and season with salt. It should be sharp, creamy and assertively flavoured — add more horseradish or lemon to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Lift the cooked beef from the braising liquid and shred roughly into large pieces with two forks — it should fall apart easily. Strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve into a wide pan, pressing the vegetables to extract all the liquid. Bring the strained sauce to a boil and reduce over high heat for 5–8 minutes until glossy and lightly coating. Return the shredded beef to the sauce to warm through. Serve with the roasted roots alongside and the horseradish cream in a bowl for each person to add as they like.

✦ Chef's note

Featherblade is one of the best-value braising cuts available — significantly less expensive than short rib but with comparable results after long cooking. Ask the butcher to keep it in one piece if possible; a single large piece of braised beef is more dramatic to serve and stays moister than smaller pieces. This dish improves dramatically made a day ahead: refrigerate the beef in its sauce, remove the solidified fat from the surface the next day, and reheat gently, covered, over a low heat. The horseradish cream keeps for 3 days in the fridge. The rooted roots should be cooked fresh on the day. Creamy mashed potato or soft polenta makes an excellent alternative to the roots if preferred, particularly for a more formal serving.