French Beef Stew Recipes

FRENCH BEEF STEW WITH OLD-FASHIONED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Place the beef in the dutch oven with the onions and carrots and and bouquet garni. Add the red wine and the red wine vinegar. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for 24 hours.After it has fully marinated, remove the beef and pat it with paper towels to remove the excess moisture. This will enable it to brown properly and get that brown crust that is essential for the flavor of the stew.
• Heat the oil in the dutch oven over medium-high heat once the oil is very hot add the beef, a few pieces at a time. Be sure not to overcrowd the pot otherwise the beef won't brown, it will simply steam. Generously brown the pieces on all sides. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.Add the onions and cook until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
• Strain the contents of the marinade into a sieve over the dutch oven (DO NOT discard the marinade). Discard the onions and carrots from the marinade but keep the bouquet garni.
• Return the beef to the Dutch oven with the bouquet garni and the whole cloves. (Note: You can choose to wrap the cloves in a bit of cheesecloth or muslin so that you don't have to fish them out later from the serving on your plate.) Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.Towards the end of the hour, chop up the vegetables. (For contrast and variety, I like to chop each of the vegetables into different shapes and sizes.) Add the vegetables along with the tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Stir a bit to combine.Return everything to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for another hour or until the vegetables are soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. (If you think the beef can handle further cooking without falling apart, go ahead and simmer it for another 30 or more minutes, it will only get better!)
• Serve with some crusty bread.This stew is even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld.

FRENCH BEEF STEW (BOEUF BOURGUIGNON)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Heat 2 TB oil in large Dutch oven (or heavy, oven-safe pot with tight fitting lid.) Add bacon and cook over medium until evenly and lightly browned throughout. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a large plate. Remaining oil and grease should stay in the pot.
• Using paper towels, thoroughly dry uncooked beef and sprinkle the cubes evenly with a thin layer of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Reheat the oil/bacon grease in the Dutch oven and sear the beef cubes in a single layer, working in batches, until each cube is brown on all sides. Do not over crowd the pan, making sure to leave some space between each piece of beef. Add more oil as needed to finish browning. Set beef aside in plate with the bacon.
• If needed, add 2 TB to pot and heat oil. Add carrots, onions, garlic, 1 TB kosher salt, 2 tsp black pepper and saute for 5 minutes until onions are lightly browned. Deglaze bottom of pot, adding 1 TB oil as needed. Add Cognac and cook another 10 minutes on medium.
• Add beef and bacon back into Dutch oven with their juices. Add the wine and enough beef broth to almost cover all the meat. Add tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to simmer, stirring occasionally. Once liquid is reaches a simmer, cover the pot with tight fitting lid and place in oven for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until meat is very tender when pierced with fork.
• Meanwhile, mix together 2 TB butter with 3 TB flour in small bowl and set aside. Saute mushrooms with 2 TB butter in skillet just until mushrooms start to become soft.
• Remove stew from oven. Add the butter/flour mixture, frozen pearl onions, and mushrooms to the stew. Bring to a boil on stovetop and immediately reduce to simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Skim off any fat off the top. Remove bay leaves. Season with additional kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with crusty bread or egg noodles.

FRENCH BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a greased 5-qt. slow cooker. Top with the beef, carrots, onions and celery. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over the vegetables. , Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.

BEEF DAUBE OR PROVENCAL/FRENCH BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan, add the meat chunks and brown them on each side.
• Remove the meat from the pan and set aside for later.
• Add the onions slices to the pan and cook until caramelized.
• Add the browned meat chunks back to the pan with the onions
• Add the tomatoes, carrots, wine, herbs, anise seeds, salt and pepper.
• Simmer for 2 to 3 hours or until the meat is very tender and the sauce has thickened.
• Serve with warm pastas or rice/potatoes.

FRENCH OVEN STEW

Steps:

• Heat oven 300 degrees.
• Mix all ingredients in a heavy 3 quart ovenproof saucepot.
• Cover and bake, stirring once an hour, for 3 hours or until meat is tender and sauce is thickened.
• Discard bay leaves before serving or storing.
• Serve over buttered noodles if desired.
• You can use frozen small white onions instead of fresh but add them to the pot 1 hour before stew is done.
• You can also add frozen peas or frozen beans 20 minutes before stew is done -- .

DELUXE FRENCH BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Place bacon strips in a stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook until browned and crisp. Set bacon aside, and brown the beef cubes in bacon fat. Gradually stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits as you stir. Dissolve the bouillon cube in boiling water, and pour into the pan. Add garlic, thyme, minced onion, salt and orange peel. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for one hour, until meat is tender.
• Dissolve cornstarch in cold water, and pour into the soup. When soup has thickened, add the peas, onions, olives and mushrooms. Cook until heated through, and serve.

DAUBE DE BOEUF (PROVENCAL BEEF STEW)

Steps:

• Prepare the marinade by whisking together the wine, 2 tablespoons of the oil, the ground cloves, and the orange zest. Pour the mixture into a large resealable bag, and add the bay leaf and the beef. Marinate the beef in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight.
• When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 300°F.
• Take the chill off the meat by allowing it to come to room temperature before you're ready to begin cooking, and then drain it in a colander with a bowl underneath to catch any marinade that drips off. Reserve the remaining marinade.
• Dry the beef using paper towels, and then season the meat with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• In a large heavy-bottomed oven-safe pot like a Dutch oven or cast iron pan placed over medium-high heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and swirl to coat the pan. Working in batches so you don't steam the meat, sear the beef until it is dark golden brown on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, remove the beef pieces from the pan and set them aside on a plate.
• Lower the heat to medium. Add the onions, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and remaining salt and 1/4 pepper. Saute until the onions have softened, about 3 minutes.
• Return the beef pieces and their juices to the pan, and then stir in the leftover marinade and tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, and cook for 3 more minutes.
• Cover the pot, place in the oven, and bake until the meat is fall-apart tender, about 6 hours. Just before serving, stir in the olives, and then season the sauce to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Remove the bay leaf and any whole cloves.
• Garnish with the parsley, and orange zest to taste. Serve over mashed potatoes or another starch like egg noodles.

FRENCH BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Combine meat and flour in a large plastic food storage bag and toss to coat evenly.
• In a 6 quart saucepan brown meat in hot vegetable oil. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
• Add diced tomatoes, beef broth, carrots, potatoes and thyme. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover; and simmer for 1 hour or until beef is tender.
• Blend in mustard and serve.

RICK STEIN'S RHôNE MARINERS' STEW WITH ANCHOïADE

Steps:

• Mix the onions, meat, herbs, garlic, oil, zest and wine in a bowl. Season with white pepper and leave to marinate for 24 hours. The next day, preheat the oven to 150°C/Fan 130°C. Pour everything into a flameproof casserole dish, bring to a simmer on the hob, then transfer the dish to the oven for 4 hours. Remove from the oven, leave to cool and then refrigerate. The following day, preheat the oven to 150°C/Fan 130°C. Add the stock and lardons to the stew and bring it to a simmer on the hob as before. Put the dish in the oven and cook for a further 2 hours. The tomatoes can be cooked at the same time. Chop the parsley with the garlic very finely, then mix with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Cut the top third off the top of each tomato (reserve the tops for a sauce or stock) and spoon over the parsley mixture. Place the tomatoes in a baking dish and cook for 1½ hours. For the anchoïade, put the garlic in a pestle and mortar and pound it to a paste, or use a food processor. Add the anchovies and pound again to combine. Add half the soft butter and mix again, then add the remaining butter and continue to blend. Add the mustard and mix well. Serve the stew with the tomatoes, pommes purée (page 239 of Rick Stein's Secret France) and a bowl of anchoïade so everyone can help themselves.

FRENCH BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Combine meat and flour in a large plastic food storage bag and toss to coat evenly.
• In a 6-quart saucepan or stockpot, brown meat in hot vegetable oil.
• Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
• Add diced tomatoes, beef broth, carrots, potatoes and thyme.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 1- 1 1/2 hours, until beef is tender.
• Blend in mustard and serve.
• If you like a thicker stew, mix 3 or 4 tablespoons of flour with some water and add to the pot.
• Heat and stir for a few minutes more, until thickened.

FRENCH BEEF STEW

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine beef chunks, wine, bay leaf, cloves, onion and garlic. Toss together to coat meat, cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 - 12 hours.
• In a large heavy pot, melt butter and cook off bacon until just crispy and set aside to drain. Scoop beef from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Toss in a bowl with flour to coat. Shake off excess flour. Add the floured beef to the pot and cook until nicely browned. Stir in the onion and garlic from the marinade, as well as the thyme, stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender.
• Peel the pearl onions and trim off a little bit of the root end. Melt butter in a small skillet and add pearl onions. Toss to coat and pour in 1/4 cup of water and cover. Simmer until tender. Uncover and allow liquid to evaporate. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon sugar and shake pan over medium heat until onions begin to brown and caramelize. Season with salt and pepper.
• In another skillet melt 3 tablespoons butter and cook mushrooms until golden brown. Stir in crispy bacon bits and season with salt and pepper.
• When the beef is tender, remove meat with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Simmer sauce until
• thickened and stir in flour/butter mixture to help thicken. Season sauce to taste. Return beef to pot and bring stew to a boil. Serve hot with boiled potatoes, pearl onions, mushrooms and garnish with chopped parsley.

CLASSIC FRENCH BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Steps:

• Step 1 - About 2 hours before cooking, pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season them well with salt and black pepper. Let rest to near room temperature.
• Step 2 - On the stove top over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a Dutch-oven. Add the bacon strips and cook for about 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked and lightly crisp. Set aside, leaving the fat drippings in the Dutch-Oven.
• Pre-heat your oven to 325°F ( 163°C) with a rack in the middle.
• Step 3 - Working in batches, add the beef cubes to the Dutch-oven and brown them, about 3 minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcrowd or overlap any meat cubes or they won't brown properly. It should take about 3 to 4 batches to brown 2 ½ lbs of beef. Transfer the browned beef to a separate bowl or plate.
• Step 4 - Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the Dutch-oven and add the garlic, carrots, pearl onions, thyme and bay leaves. Cook for 6-7 minutes, until the onions are glistening.
• Step 5 - Add the beef and bacon back in the Dutch-oven. Add the tomato paste and sprinkle with the flour. Stir all the ingredients until no dry flour is visible. Pour in the red wine, brandy and beef stock so the meat is barely covered. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes in the oven.
• While the stew cooks in the oven - Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, season to taste with salt and black pepper, and cook for about 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked and lightly browned.
• Take the Beef Bourguignon out of the oven and stir in the mushrooms. Return the pot to the oven for 30 more minutes. Take the Beef Bourguignon out of the oven, adjust seasoning if needed (salt, pepper). Let the Beef Bourguignon sit for 15 minutes before serving.