Braised Beef and Balsamic Stew with Polenta

I have been making lots of braised beef and pork dishes this winter.  They are just so delicious and don’t take much effort and fill your home with wonderful scents.  I love this stew with the addition of 1/3 cup of Balsamic vinegar.  The vinegar mellows after the long braise and really makes the sauce rich.  It’s really important to brown the meat and onions really well.  The caramelization adds so much rich, deep flavor to the stew.  A big tip is to sauté the beef in one layer in the Dutch oven over medium to high heat so it has a chance to really get a brown crust before you turn it over and brown the other sides.  If the meat is too crowded, it doesn’t brown very well.  I love polenta and it is very quick to make.  It’s a nice change to serve it with the stew rather than the mashed potatoes I usually serve.  Click here for recipe….