One-Pan Italian Beef with Garlic-Butter Bread Bombs

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 145 mins

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 4 Servings

ack in my personal chef days, I worked for a wonderful family that had a bit of a dinner conundrum. The father longed for his Sicilian American mother’s beef ragu, but his kids wouldn’t touch it because it contained — gasp! — vegetables.
Wanting to find a compromise, I added something to the recipe that few kids can resist: cheesy garlic bread. I made the family recipe as instructed, moving the stew from a deep pot to a sauté pan and reducing the liquid slightly. Then I popped open a can of biscuits, divided them into 16 portions, and wrapped them around little cubes of string cheese. I put these “bombs” on top of the stew, brushed the biscuits with garlic butter, and baked the whole thing in the oven until the biscuits were golden-brown.

The kids were so excited by the gooey cheese-stuffed biscuits that they ate the stew that happened to come with it. (Full disclosure: I got a report that some mushrooms were left on their plates, but they did plow through the rest with delight.) The parents loved that their kids learned to like the family recipe, and the parents welcomed the new addition of biscuits, too. Mission accomplished.

Ingredients

1 medium yellow onion
8 ounces cremini mushrooms
2 large carrots, divided
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, divided
4 cloves garlic
2 1/4 pounds beef chuck roast
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (14.5-ounce) can beef broth (1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 to 4 (1-ounce) sticks string cheese, or 2 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese
1 (16.3-ounce, 8 count) can Pillsbury Grands original Southern Homestyle biscuits
4 to 6 fresh basil sprigs

Instructions

5-ounce) can beef broth, 1 (
5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes and their juices, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, and 1 bay leaf. Return the beef mixture and wine to the pan and bring to a boil. Partially cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Meanwhile, uncover the pan and simmer for 30 minutes to thicken the sauce a bit.Remove the pan from the heat. Taste and season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed. (The stew can be made up to this point, cooled, and refrigerated covered for up to 4 days. Reheat over medium-low heat until simmering before proceeding.)Add the remaining 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to the bowl of garlic. Microwave on High until melted, 30 seconds. (Alternatively, place everything in a small saucepan and melt over medium heat on the stovetop.)Unwrap and cut 2 to 4 string cheese sticks crosswise into 1-inch pieces until you have 16 pieces, or cut 2 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese into 16 (1/2-inch) cubes. Open an 8-count (
3-ounce) can Pillsbury Southern Style original biscuits and separate them into individual biscuits. Cut each biscuit in half to form 2 semi circles.Place a piece of cheese in the center of each piece of dough. Bring the edges of the dough around the cheese and gently pinch edges together to create a ball. Do not over-handle the dough or the biscuit will not rise as well. Place the “bombs” seam side-down on top of the stew around the edges of the pot. Brush each bomb with a little garlic butter.Bake uncovered for 13 minutes. Rotate the pot and continue baking until the biscuits are golden brown, about 12 minutes more. Meanwhile, pick the leaves from 4 to 6 fresh basil sprigs and coarsely chop (about 2 tablespoons).When the biscuits are ready, brush with the remaining garlic butter and sprinkle with the basil.