Peposo
Peposo is believed to pre‑date the arrival of tomatoes in Italy, relying instead on a handful of ingredients — beef, red wine, garlic and an unapologetic amount of black pepper — to create depth and richness. The dish traces its roots back to Tuscan brickmakers, who slow‑cooked tough cuts of beef in wine and pepper inside kiln ovens while they worked. Its name comes from pepe, meaning pepper, and rightly so: this is one of the world’s great pepper‑forward dishes. Peposo is a reminder that pepper is far more than a finishing touch — it can be the backbone of an entire dish.
How long will it take?
3 hours
What’s the serving size?
Serves 4-6
What do I need?
- 1.2 kg beef chuck, cut into large chunks
- 12 g sea salt
- 30 g olive oil
- 8 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
- 12 g Pep black pepper, cracked coarse
- 1 bottle Storm Bay Cabernet Merlot
How do I make it?
- Preheat oven to 150C.
- Pat beef dry and season with salt.
- Heat olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until lightly golden. Remove and set aside.
- Working in batches, sear beef until deeply browned all over. Don’t overcrowd the pot.
- Lower heat slightly. Add 8 grams of the cracked Pep and let it toast in the oil for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in wine and scrape all the good bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Return beef and garlic to the pot. Cover and cook in the oven for 90 minutes.
- Remove lid and cook for a further 60-90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender and the sauce has reduced and is rich and glossy.
- Finish with the remaining Pep just before serving.
