08 October 2015

Bœuf braisé aux carottes

I am running late this morning. I only have a few minutes to post this before I go out with the dog for her morning walk. It's not that I slept late. No, I was up at 5:30 and I got busy in the kitchen. We want to have beef braised with carrots (and onions, garlic, smoked pork lardons, herbs, and wine) for lunch, and it needs to cook for 4 or 5 hours.


Bœuf braisé aux carottes is a very simple thing to make, even if it is time-consuming. It's a French country classic. The combination of beef (or other meats) and carrots is especially good. One French friend of mine told me once that carrots impart a sweet flavor to meats they are cooked with, and I think it's true.


What I had to do first this morning was sauté the lardons. That would give me the fat I needed to sauté and "sweat" the onions, garlic, and carrots in. With all that out of the pot and set aside, it was time to brown the meat in the same flavorful fat. I did that in two batches, and I seasoned the meat as it cooked with some black pepper, red pepper flakes, and ground cloves.


Then it was just a matter of putting it all together, salting it, and transferring it to the slow-cooker to simmer until lunchtime. I added some thyme and oregano at that point, and enough rosé wine and water (equal quantities) to moisten the meat and vegetables just up to surface level. You can see it in the first picture above, which I took just as the stew was getting ready to simmer.


I think one reason dishes like bœuf braisé aux carottes, coq au vin, or blanquette de veau are so good is, in fact, because they are made with so few ingredients. The flavor of each ingredient gets a chance to shine through. Cooking them in wine doesn't hurt either...

17 comments:

  1. I'd love to have some! Keep it warm for me! :—)

    P. is going to pick me up this morning for two or three days with them. I might come back by train.

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  2. C'est une torture .. pitié !

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  3. I have some beef shin in the freezer needing to be used up so will try to copy you tomorrow. Don't have rose wine so will use Bourgueil type red.
    Hope mine will be as tasty as yours looks. Thanks for the idea.

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    1. You could use white wine if you prefer. I usually use white, but decided on rosé this time. Red wine makes me think more of bœuf bourguignon.

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    2. True but I have a 1/3 bottle of red which has been open for over a week so white wine next time, probably.

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    3. That much red wine with enough water or bouillon to barely cover the meat and vegetables should be really good.

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  4. I think you will really enjoy your lunch! Do you grow your own thyme? What variety?

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    1. We do grow thyme -- it grows more or less wild -- and I don't know what variety it is. We also have sage, rosemary, parsley, and oregano growing around the yard. And basil for the (dying) summer in pots.

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  5. By now, you've enjoyed your yummy-looking braised beef, I imagine. Yumm!

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    1. I meant to say that I had 2+ lbs. of beef and a generous lb. of carrots. Two smallish onions, 3 garlic cloves. Herbs. Wine. Etc.

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  6. Pauline invested in a slow cooker....
    just because your tempting recipes smell so good on screen!

    She bought us a small 3 litre version...
    it is currently being used once a week on average!!
    Like you, we think that the veg in particular keep their flavour better...
    and also their shape.
    And cooked that way, even the toughest cuts end up melt in the mouth meat.
    Thank you!!
    T

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    1. I'm glad, T & P. I myself am looking forward to more slow cooking over autumn and winter.

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  7. Looks very good. I need to get my slow cooker out soon.

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    1. Is it chilly there now? We had our first wood fire today. And the beef & carrots. Miam miam.

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  8. The Bœuf braisé aux carottes turned out very well and we enjoyed eating it. I did not have ground cloves and the red wine had been thrown away by my husband in error, so I noted your advice and used a little sauvignon blanc instead. It was lovely and light in texture. Also, a lot of the beef shin broke up in the slow cooker.
    I did not thicken the liquid. Do you?
    Thank you - we shall enjoy that again

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    1. I didn't thicken the liquid. Some people would, but I don't usually (except when I make a blanquette). Glad it was good.

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