Pot-au-feu

French Boiled Beef and Vegetables in Two Courses

A pot on the fire, which is all the name means. Two or three cuts of beef simmer for hours with leeks, carrots and turnips, and the result is two courses: a clear, deep broth, and then the meat and vegetables with mustard, gherkins and coarse salt.

Both recipes read use more than one cut of beef, including one on the bone, with carrots, leeks, turnips and a clove-studded onion, simmer gently for about three hours and serve the broth first, followed by the meat and vegetables.

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1 kg beef shin on the bone
  • 1 kg beef brisket or chuck, in one piece, tied
  • 2 marrow bones (optional)
  • 1 onion, peeled and studded with 3 cloves
  • 1 bouquet garni (thyme, bay, parsley stalks)
  • 10 black peppercorns
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp coarse sea salt
  • 6 carrots, peeled
  • 4 leeks, trimmed and tied in a bundle
  • 4 small turnips, peeled
  • 1 celery stick
  • 6 medium waxy potatoes, peeled
  • Dijon mustard, gherkins and coarse salt, to serve

Method

  1. Start the beef Put the beef and marrow bones in the stockpot and cover with about 5 litres of cold water. Bring slowly to the boil and skim for 10 minutes until no more grey foam rises.
  2. Simmer Add the onion, bouquet garni, peppercorns, garlic and salt. Lower the heat until the surface barely moves and simmer, partly covered, for 2 hours.
  3. Add the vegetables Add the carrots, leeks, turnips and celery and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for 25 to 30 minutes more, until everything is tender and a fork slides easily into the beef.
  4. Serve the broth Lift the meat and vegetables onto a warm platter and cover. Strain the broth, skim off the fat and taste for salt. Serve it first, in bowls.
  5. Serve the meat Slice the beef and serve with the vegetables, moistened with a little broth, with mustard, gherkins and coarse salt.

Food safety

Cool leftover broth quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours.

Never let it boil. A rolling boil clouds the broth and toughens the meat.

Leftover beef is the basis of hachis parmentier, the French cottage pie.

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