A classic French comfort food with a rich culinary history. Tender beef simmered to perfection in a flavorful broth alongside an array of fresh root vegetables. The slow cooking process allows all ingredients to meld together, creating a warming and delicious dish perfect for gatherings.
beef marrow bonessoak overnight in cold water with white vinegar or salt~2-3 lbest.
beef chuck, eye of round, or rump roastcut into pieces and trussed with butcher twine~3-4 lbest.
oxtail~2 lbest.
cold water~4 quartsest.
white chicken stock~2 quartsest.
saltto taste
black peppercorns~1 tbspest.
onionsplit in half and caramelized over high heat without fat (oignon brûlé)1
garlic
cut in half
1
bouquet garnimade with leek greens, bay leaves, thyme, carrot, and celery~1est.
carrotscut into 2-5 cm chunks~4-5est.
parsnipscut into 2-5 cm chunks~3-4est.
turnipscut into 2-5 cm chunks~3est.
celery rootcut into 2-5 cm chunks~1est.
leeksuse light green stems only, cut into 2-5 cm chunks~4-5est.
cabbageoptional~1/2-1 headsest.
potatoespeeled and cooked separately~1.5-2 lbest.
fresh thymefor cooking potatoes~4-5 sprigsest.
grey salt~1-2 tspest.
cheeseclothfor wrapping marrow bones~1est.
butcher twine~1est.
whole grain mustardfor serving~2-3 tbspest.
cornichonsfor serving~½ cupest.
Steps
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1
Soak beef marrow bones in cold water with a splash of white vinegar or a tablespoon of salt and refrigerate overnight to remove blood and firm up the marrow.
2
After soaking, drain and rinse the bones. Optionally scrape away any remaining flesh for aesthetic purposes.
3
Wrap marrow bones in cheesecloth with marrow side up, season the marrow with grey salt, tie up with butcher twine, place marrow-side up in a saucepan and refrigerate until ready to cook.
4
Prepare root vegetables such as parsnips, carrots, turnips, celery root, leeks, and cabbage. Cut all vegetables into 2 to 5 cm chunks.
5
Keep prepared vegetables in water. For leeks, retain only the light green stems. Clean leeks by soaking in warm water for about 15 minutes, changing the water until it runs clear, then tie the bundles together with twine.
6
Peel potatoes and keep them in water until ready to cook.
7
Make a bouquet garni by wrapping leek leaves, bay leaves, thyme, carrot, and celery together and tying with butcher twine. Cut the garlic head in half.
8
Truss beef pieces such as chuck, eye of round, or rump roast, and oxtail with butcher twine to help them retain their shape during cooking.
9
Make an oignon brûlé (caramelized onion) by splitting an onion in half and cooking over high heat without any fat until dark brown and nearly charred. Stud with a couple of cloves.
10
Place the beef in a stock pot (except the marrow bones), add garlic, bouquet garni, oignon brûlé, salt, peppercorns, cold water, and white chicken stock.
11
Bring to a boil and then reduce to a bare simmer for 2 hours and 30 minutes.
12
After 2 hours and 30 minutes, skim off any scum that floats to the surface.
13
Discard the bouquet garni, garlic, and oignon brûlé and continue to cook slowly.
14
Cook the reserved marrow bones in some of the broth over low heat for 25 minutes. Remove the marrow from the broth and reserve. Return the clarified broth to the stock pot, discarding any cloudy liquid remaining at the bottom.
15
Add the root vegetables to the pot, excluding the potatoes.
16
Cook for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the pot-au-feu infuse for an hour. Cool and refrigerate overnight for better flavor and easier portioning.
17
Cook potatoes separately in salted water with fresh thyme.
18
To serve, heat the broth and arrange the cooked beef, marrow bones, vegetables, and potatoes on a platter. Pour hot broth over everything and serve with whole grain mustard, grey salt, and cornichons.
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