Pot Roast Recipe, France, pot-au-feu

 

Serves 6

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 3 to 4 hours

Ingredients

For the stew:

·         3.3 lbs beef (mixture of cuts such as brisket, shank, chuck, or oxtail)

·         1 marrow bone (optional, for extra richness)

·         4 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

·         4 large potatoes, peeled and left whole

·         2 leeks, trimmed and cut into large chunks

·         2 turnips, peeled and quartered

·         2 stalks celery, cut into large chunks

·         2 onions, peeled (one with 2 to 3 cloves)

·         3 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled

·         1 bouquet garn (parsley, thyme, and bay leaf tied together)

·         8 to 10 whole black peppercorns

2 teaspoons salt

For serving:

·         Coarse Salt

·         Dijon Mustard

·         Gherkins (small gherkins)

·         Country Bread

Instructions

Prepare the Beef:

Rinse the beef and marrow bone under cold water. Place in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam or dirt that rises to the surface.

Add the Herbs:

Reduce the heat to simmer. Add the bouquet garni, black peppercorns and 2 teaspoons of salt.

Simmer the Meat:

Simmer gently for about 2 hours, partially covered, until the beef is tender. Skim off excess fat occasionally.

Add the Vegetables:

Add the carrots, leeks, turnips, celery, onions and garlic to the saucepan. Simmer for another 45 minutes. Finally, add the potatoes and cook for another 30 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.

Serve the Pot-au-feu:

Remove the beef and marrow from the pot and cut the beef into portions. Arrange the beef, vegetables and marrow on a large serving platter. Strain and serve the broth in a separate bowl.

Accompaniments:

Serve the pot-au-feu with coarse salt, Dijon mustard and pickles on the side. Rustic bread is perfect for soaking up the broth.

Tips:

Pot-au-feu is a humble but tasty dish, whose simplicity allows the quality of the ingredients to shine. Leftovers can be transformed into a delicious soup or pulled beef sandwiches.

Enjoy this quintessential French comfort food, perfect for a cosy gathering!