Recipes Ingredients Meat & Poultry Beef Recipes Steak Pizzaiola 3.8 (85) Tender meat and saucy tomatoes join forces in this flavorful, one-pot wonder. Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs 40 mins Total Time: 2 hrs 50 mins Servings: 6 to 8 Jump to recipe To make our Steak Pizzaiola recipe, bone-in chuck steak is braised in a garlicky, herb-flecked tomato sauce until fall-apart tender. It only requires one skillet to make and the work is largely hands off. It can also be prepared ahead of time, refrigerated, and reheated when ready to eat. Serve it with bread, over creamy polenta, or alongside sautéed Swiss chard for a hearty, comforting dinner. You can also present it as a “sauce” by shredding the meat, mixing it with the tomatoes and sauce from the pan, and tossing it with pasta. From the book Mad Hungry by Lucinda Scala Quinn (Artisan Books). Martha's Braised Pulled Pork Shoulder What Cut of Meat to Use for Steak Pizzaiola We recommend using bone-in chuck steak for our Steak Pizzaiola recipe. This affordable cut is ideal for braising as it well marbled, full of beefy flavor, and won't dry out while cooked low and slow. If you can't find bone-in chuck, you can use a boneless chuck steak instead. In place of chuck steak, you can also use short ribs or cross-cut beef shanks. Making Ahead As with most braises, you can cook Steak Pizzaiola ahead of time and reheat when you're ready to serve with great results. After cooking, let it cool to room temperature, then transfer meat and sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Patting the meat dry with paper towels before seasoning and searing will result in optimal browning. Otherwise, any moisture on the outside of the meat will have to cook off before the beef is able to brown. Directions Season meat and brown in skillet: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Season the meat on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over high heat and swirl in the olive oil. Brown the meat on both sides. Remove the meat from the skillet and take the pan off the heat. Add remaining ingredients: Stir into the pan the garlic, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, and whole tomatoes. Mash up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon, return the meat to the pan, spoon the sauce over it, and cover tightly. Braise until tender; reduce sauce: Braise in the oven for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook for an additional 30 minutes, until the sauce has thickened up. Storage Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot throughout. Reheating To reheat steak pizzaiola, transfer meat and sauce to a skillet, cover, and heat over medium-low until hot and bubbling. If sauce looks very thick, add a splash of water to reach desired consistency. More Italian-Inspired Recipes to Try: Stracciatella Soup Chicken Saltimbocca With Sage Italian Ricotta Cheesecake Pork Scallopini Almond Biscotti Tortellini en Brodo Creamy Parmesan Risotto Perfect Bolognese Sauce Easy Tiramisu Frequently Asked Questions Where did steak pizzaiola originate? Steak pizzaiola is believed to have originated in southern Italy, specifically Naples, where it is known as "carne alla pizzaiola." It is traditionally made with thin slices of inexpensive meat, which become tender as they simmer in the tomato-based sauce. Why is the beef not tender after two hours of braising? If the beef is not tender after two hours of braising, it could be that your heat was not high enough, there was not enough liquid in the pan, or the cut of beef was on the thicker side. Continue cooking, covered, until the beef is fall-apart tender, adding a splash of water to the skillet as needed if sauce is looking dry. My sauce looks oily; how can I remove some of the fat? If your meat was well marbled, you may find you need to remove some of the fat after the beef has braised. To do so, transfer beef and tomatoes to a bowl using a slotted spoon and cover to keep warm. If you have a gravy fat separator, use it to separate the fat from the sauce. If you don't have one, pour the sauce into a liquid measuring cup, let sit 5 minutes, then skim off any fat. Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.