Great Piedmontese Boiled Meat

Peel and wash the carrot, celery, onion, and leek. Tie the parsley stems and the bay leaves, so you can easily remove them after cooking. Also prepare salt and pepper. The vegetables must be clean and ready to use before starting, so you can organize the different pots properly.

Pour plenty of water into a large pot and add the herbs, vegetables, salt, and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil: the broth should be very hot and fragrant before adding the meat. This allows the beef to cook in an already aromatic and evenly heated liquid.

Add the beef to the boiling water, excluding the tongue and head, which require separate pots. Cook evenly for about an hour, then check by inserting a fork into the thickest part: the meat is done when the fork enters easily and the meat is tender.

Transfer the tongue and head to two separate pots, each with boiling water, vegetables, and herbs. Maintain sufficient heat to ensure continuous cooking and check the consistency with a fork. Finish cooking when the meat is tender and easily pierced, without interrupting the separation of the liquids and herbs.

Cook the chicken half in a separate pot, using boiling water, vegetables, and herbs. Cook evenly, checking for doneness with a fork in the meatiest part. Finish cooking when the meat appears tender and can be easily pierced. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Immerse the cotechino In a pot with only cold water, heat gradually. Keep the water just simmering, without letting it boil: the liquid should move with small shivers, but not produce a strong boil. Continue until you obtain a cotechino warm and soft, with intact skin.

Heat a large serving platter and arrange the meats while still piping hot, keeping the different parts visible. Baste them with a couple of ladles of equally hot broth, keeping them moist and juicy. Serve the boiled meat with green sauce, red sauce, horseradish, saôssa d'avije, and cognà, the sauces recommended for pairing.