This Provençal stew is traditionally cooked in a glazed earthenware pot, with a tightly fitted lid, called a daubière. Our version includes red wine vinegar, which adds a unique piquancy. You’ll need to begin this recipe at least 2 days ahead.
Beef daube
Australian Gourmet Traveller French recipe for beef daube (Provencal stew).
- 20 mins preparation
- 5 hrs 45 mins cooking plus marinating, resting
- Serves 6
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Ingredients
- 3 large onions
- 2 kg beef chuck, cut into 8-10cm pieces
- 2 large carrots, thickly sliced widthways
- 6 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, including tops, strings removed and coarsely chopped
- 1 8cm-strip of dried orange peel (see note)
- 1 bouquet garni (see note)
- 1 cinnamon quill
- 10 black peppercorns, crushed
- 5 juniper berries, crushed
- 5 cloves
- 750 ml dry red wine (3 cups)
- 125 ml good-quality aged red wine vinegar (½ cup)
- For dusting: plain flour
- 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 300 gm bacon or pancetta, cut into batons
- 40 black Niçoise olives (½ cup)
- To serve: macaroni or rigatoni, mixed leaf salad and finely grated parmesan
Method
Main
- 1Coarsely chop 1 onion and set aside.Thinly slice remaining onions and place in a non-reactive bowl with beef, carrot, garlic, celery, orange peel, bouquet garni and spices. Season to taste with sea salt then add wine and vinegar. Cover and marinate in refrigerator overnight.
- 2Remove beef from marinade (reserve marinade), pat dry with absorbent paper and dust with flour. Heat half the olive oil in a large flame-proof casserole over medium heat. Cook meat in batches, stirring occasionally, until brown (5-7 minutes), adding more oil if necessary. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- 3Add coarsely chopped onion to pan with bacon and sauté over medium heat until soft (5-7 minutes). Add meat and reserved marinade to pan. Add enough water, if necessary, to cover meat and vegetables. Bring to the boil over low-medium heat then reduce heat to very low and simmer until sauce thickens and meat is tender (4-5 hours). Season generously to taste, remove from heat and cool completely. Skim excess fat from surface and discard. Add olives and reheat over very low heat until warmed through (20-30 minutes). Serve with macaroni or rigatoni, mixed leaf salad and finely grated parmesan.
Notes
To make dried orange peel, peel long thick strips of rind from an orange using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler. Keep in a dry place for 2-3 days until dried. It will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. Substitute with a piece of fresh orange peel removed with a peeler. To make bouquet garni, tie 3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, 6 sprigs fresh thyme, 3 fresh bay leaves and 50gm celery stalks and leaves together with kitchen string.
Drink Suggestion: Bandol or Australian old-vine mourvèdre. Drink suggestion by Max Allen