Name: Bollito misto piemontese
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 235 min
Total time: 265 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 500 g Beef tail (jointed); 500 g Beef tongue (ready cleaned piece); 500 g Beef shin; 500 g Beef plate (scaramella); 500 g Prepared veal head meat (boned and rolled by the butcher); 800 g Cleaned hen (bone-in ready weight from a cleaned hen); 300 g Fresh cotechino (small sausage; follow its cooking directions if longer); 12,000 ml Water (Broth: 10000 ml for the two meat broths. Cotechino bath: 2000 ml, unsalted cooking bath; not all consumed.); 300 g Onions (peeled and halved); 300 g Carrots (trimmed); 200 g Celery stalks (trimmed); 40 g Coarse salt; 2 g Black peppercorns; 0.4 g Dried bay leaves; 120 g Prepared bagnet ross; 120 g Prepared bagnet verd; 120 g Prepared cognà

Order the tongue, rolled head meat and small fresh cotechino in advance, and check that all three pots fit your hob.

Make ahead Prepare the sauces ahead. Begin the meats on serving day; the large volume of broth and the head meat set the schedule.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 3 hr 55 min
Serves: 8
Difficulty: Medium

Bollito misto piemontese

Prep 30 min · Cook 3 hr 55 min · Serves 8 · Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Skip to the method

8 servings

Ingredients

500 g1 lb
Beef tailjointedjointed
500 g1 lb
Beef tongueready cleaned pieceready cleaned piece
500 g1 lb
Beef shin
500 g1 lb
Beef plate (scaramella)
500 g1 lb
Prepared veal head meatboned and rolled by the butcherboned and rolled by the butcher
800 g1¾ lb
Cleaned henbone-in ready weight from a cleaned henbone-in ready weight from a cleaned hen
300 g10½ oz
Fresh cotechinosmall sausage; follow its cooking directions if longersmall sausage; follow its cooking directions if longer

Broth

12,000 ml50¾ cups
WaterBroth: 10000 ml for the two meat broths. Cotechino bath: 2000 ml, unsalted cooking bath; not all consumed.Broth: 42¼ cups for the two meat broths. Cotechino bath: 8½ cups, unsalted cooking bath; not all consumed.
300 g10½ oz
Onionspeeled and halvedpeeled and halved
300 g10½ oz
Carrotstrimmedtrimmed
200 g7 oz
Celery stalkstrimmedtrimmed
40 g2¼ tbsp
Coarse salt
2 g¾ tsp
Black peppercorns
0.4 g0.4 g
Dried bay leaves

To serve

Equipment

Three burners
Main pot of at least 16 liters, head-meat pot of at least 8 liters and cotechino pot of at least 3 liters
Three timers, ladle, meat thermometer and warm serving platter

Method

Set out the three pots. Put the stock water, onions, carrots, celery, salt, peppercorns and bay in the largest pot. Bring to a boil; allow about 45 minutes for this large volume to heat. Transfer three-tenths of the hot broth to the head-meat pot, leaving the remaining seven-tenths in the main pot. Keep the main broth hot while you begin the head meat.Set out the three pots. Put the stock water, onions, carrots, celery, salt, peppercorns and bay in the largest pot. Bring to a boil; allow about 45 minutes for this large volume to heat. Transfer three-tenths of the hot broth to the head-meat pot, leaving the remaining seven-tenths in the main pot. Keep the main broth hot while you begin the head meat.
Immerse the prepared head meat in its broth. Boil for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer and partly cover. Allow about 3 hours more, until tender. Start a separate timer for this pot.Immerse the prepared head meat in its broth. Boil for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer and partly cover. Allow about 3 hours more, until tender. Start a separate timer for this pot.
Thirty minutes after starting the head meat, bring the main broth back to a boil and add the tail, tongue, shin and scaramella. Cook at a lively boil for 10 minutes, skimming the surface, then simmer gently with the lid ajar for about 2 hours 30 minutes more. Keep the meat submerged; if evaporation exposes it, add a little boiling water.Thirty minutes after starting the head meat, bring the main broth back to a boil and add the tail, tongue, shin and scaramella. Cook at a lively boil for 10 minutes, skimming the surface, then simmer gently with the lid ajar for about 2 hours 30 minutes more. Keep the meat submerged; if evaporation exposes it, add a little boiling water.
After the beef has been cooking for 85 minutes in total, add the prepared hen portion. Let it simmer for about 75 minutes, until cooked through; check that its thickest flesh reaches 75°C for 30 seconds without touching bone with the probe. The beef should yield easily to a fork. Extend the cooking of any cut that remains firm.After the beef has been cooking for 85 minutes in total, add the prepared hen portion. Let it simmer for about 75 minutes, until cooked through; check that its thickest flesh reaches 167°F for 30 seconds without touching bone with the probe. The beef should yield easily to a fork. Extend the cooking of any cut that remains firm.
At the same time as adding the hen, put the small fresh cotechino in the third pot with its cold, unsalted water. Bring to a boil, allowing about 15 minutes, then simmer for about 1 hour or the longer time specified for that sausage. Keep it covered by water and cook it through.At the same time as adding the hen, put the small fresh cotechino in the third pot with its cold, unsalted water. Bring to a boil, allowing about 15 minutes, then simmer for about 1 hour or the longer time specified for that sausage. Keep it covered by water and cook it through.
Lift out the tender meats. Peel the tongue while it is still warm, remove the hen bones and slice the tongue, rolled head meat, beef and cotechino. Serve promptly on a warm platter with a little hot broth and the three sauces alongside. Check the tail and hen carefully for bones.Lift out the tender meats. Peel the tongue while it is still warm, remove the hen bones and slice the tongue, rolled head meat, beef and cotechino. Serve promptly on a warm platter with a little hot broth and the three sauces alongside. Check the tail and hen carefully for bones.