Daube de Boeuf

Daube de bœuf is a classic stew from Provence. The beef marinates for 12–24 hours in red wine with orange and herbs, then is slowly braised until meltingly tender. Black olives give the dish a distinctive Mediterranean depth.

Serves: 4
Preparation: approx. 30 minutes (excluding marinating)
Cooking: 3–3½ hours
Total time: approx. 16–28 hours (incl. marinating)

Ingredients

• 1 kg stewing beef (e.g. rib, chuck or well-marbled beef for stewing)
• 500–750 ml dry red wine (e.g. wine from the Southern Rhône)
• 2 onions
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 carrots
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 bay leaf
• 1–2 sprigs of thyme
• Zest of 1 (preferably organic) orange, in thin strips, without the white pith
• 100 g salted bacon or lardons, diced small
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Optional: 150–200 ml beef stock (only if needed to top up)
• 80–100 g black olives (e.g. Niçoise or other small, unsweetened olives), preferably pitted
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Cut the beef into large pieces of about 4 cm. Pat dry and lightly sprinkle with salt.
2. Peel the onions and slice them into rings.
3. Peel the garlic and lightly crush the cloves.
4. Peel the carrots and slice them.
5. Slice the celery into thin half-moons.
6. Using a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife, cut thin strips of orange zest, without the white pith.
7. Put the meat in a large bowl or dish.
8. Add the onions, garlic, carrot, celery, bay leaf, thyme and orange zest.
9. Pour in the red wine until the meat and vegetables are just submerged. Add extra wine or a little beef stock if necessary.
10. Cover and marinate for 12–24 hours in the fridge. If convenient, give it an occasional stir.

Method

1. Preheat the oven
   Preheat the oven to 150 °C.
2. Remove the meat from the marinade
   Lift the meat out of the marinade with a slotted spoon and pat it dry again. Reserve the marinade with the vegetables.
3. Render the bacon
   Heat the olive oil in a heavy, ovenproof casserole. Over medium heat, gently fry the bacon until it renders its fat and lightly colours. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside.
4. Brown the meat
   Increase the heat. Brown the meat in batches in the remaining fat until golden all over. Make sure the pan is not overcrowded; add a little extra oil if needed. Return the browned meat to the pan, together with the bacon.
5. Fry the marinated vegetables
   Lift the marinated vegetables out of the marinade and add them to the pan. Fry for a few minutes until the onions are slightly translucent.
6. Add the marinade and bring to the boil
   Pour in the marinade and bring gently to the boil. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. If the meat is not just submerged, add a little more wine or a splash of stock.
7. Braise the daube in the oven
   Put the lid on the pan and place in the oven. Let the daube braise gently for 3–3½ hours, until the meat is meltingly tender. Check after about 2½ hours and add a splash of extra liquid if needed.
8. Add the olives and reduce the sauce
   Add the black olives during the last half hour of cooking. If the sauce is still very thin, let it reduce for the final part of the braising time (partly) without the lid.
9. Season the sauce
   Remove the pan from the oven. Remove the bay leaf, thyme sprigs and the pieces of orange zest. Taste the sauce and season with freshly ground black pepper and, if needed, a little more salt.
10. Serve the daube de bœuf
    Serve the daube de bœuf with mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes, polenta or crusty bread, so you can mop up the sauce well. This dish often tastes even more intense if you make it a day ahead and gently reheat it the next day.