French Beef Daube (Traditional Provençal Stew)
Raise a glass to a quintessential French classic: the traditional Beef Daube. This slow-cooked Provençal stew combines melt-in-your-mouth beef, hearty red wine and the rustic charm of garlic, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves. Its secret lies in a delightful twist – hints of clove, juniper berry and orange peel infuse the dish with a cozy warmth and depth that’s perfect for winter evenings. Whether for festive celebrations or leisurely Sundays, it’s a dish that invites you to savor every moment while the stovetop works its magic. What is a Beef…
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 3 hr
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2.2lbs (1kg) stewing beef, cubed
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1.65 lbs (750g) carrots, peeled and chopped in sticks
- 1 large celery stalk, cut in large sticks
- 2 onions
- 8 cloves (the spice)
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 5 juniper berries
- 4-5 sprigs of thyme
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 4-5 bay leaves
- 3 strips of fresh orange peel (just the peel, avoid the white pith as best you can)
- 3 cups (750ml) red wine
- 5 ounces bacon (5 strips/about 145g), sliced into ¼” (0.65cm) thick matchsticks
- 1 tbsp (15ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/3 cup black olives
Instructions
- 1
Place the stewing beef cubes in a large bowl/dish. Season with salt and pepper generously. Add the chopped carrots and celery. Peel the onions and slice them in quarters. Poke a clove into each onion quarter and add the onions to the bowl/dish with the beef. Add the juniper berries, sprigs of thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and orange peels. Add the red wine; it should almost cover all the ingredients. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate overnight.
- 2
The next day, take the beef marinade out of the fridge 1 hour before you start, to allow it to warm to room temperature. Take the beef cubes out of the marinade and pat them dry with paper towel.
- 3
Heat up a large Dutch-oven over medium heat. 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.
- 4
Add the olive oil to the Dutch-Oven. When sizzling, add the beef cubes 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.
- 5
When the beef is nicely seared, sprinkle with flour and stir until the beef cubes are all covered and the flour is mostly wet.
- 6
Add the marinade (vegetables, red wine, herbs and spices) and cooked lardons. It should barely cover the beef cubes. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. When the liquid begins to boil, turn the heat down to medium-low and cover with a lid. Simmer for 2 hours.
- 7
Add the black olives and cook for 30 more minutes.
- 8
Check the texture of the beef – it should be fork-tender. If it is still too tough, continue cooking for up to 30 extra minutes.
- 9
Discard of herbs and loose spices, and serve.