Marinated Beef Province Style
Provencal braised beef marinated overnight in red wine with garlic, cloves, allspice, and vinegar, then slow-braised with bacon, carrots, brandy, and orange zest. A deeply flavored French country casserole.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
2READY
15 hrsThis is a boeuf en daube by another name, and it’s the kind of French country cooking that rewards patience. Beef round steak cubes sit overnight in a red wine marinade laced with garlic, cloves, allspice, red wine vinegar, and thinly sliced onions and carrots. That 12-hour soak tenderizes the meat and infuses it with flavor before it ever touches heat.
The next day, the marinated beef gets browned and layered in a casserole with golden-fried bacon and quartered onions. The marinade itself becomes the braising liquid, enriched with brandy, fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley), and the zest and juice of a fresh orange. That orange brightens the dark, wine-heavy sauce and gives it a Provençal identity.
Two and a quarter hours of slow baking transforms tough round steak into fork-tender meat swimming in a rich, glossy sauce. The whole carrots cook alongside the beef, absorbing wine and spice until they’re soft enough to cut with a spoon.
Serve this over buttered pasta with grated cheese and chopped parsley as the recipe suggests. The sauce deserves something to soak it up.
Chef Tips
- Turn the meat in the marinade every few hours for even flavor penetration.
- Drain and pat the beef dry before browning. Wet meat steams instead of searing and you’ll lose the crust.
- The brandy can flambé when added to the hot pan. Tilt the pan away from you or add it off-heat to be safe.
- This tastes even better reheated the next day as the wine sauce continues to develop.
Variations
- Use chuck roast instead of round steak for a fattier, more self-basting cut.
- Add a handful of pitted Niçoise olives in the last 30 minutes for a more Mediterranean character.
- Replace the brandy with Cognac for a slightly more refined, grape-forward spirit note.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut meat into 2 inch cubes.
Dice the bacon. Skin and crush the garlic, using the tip of a firm knife, in a pinch of salt on the chopping board, or use a garlic press; blend with the chopped parsley, cloves, and allspice.
Put the meat into a dish, and add the wine vinegar, wine, and garlic spice mixture.
Peel and thinly slice one third of the onions and carrots, add to the marinade with a little salt and pepper.
Leave for at least 12 hours turning occasionally.
Peel the remaining onions and carrots, quarter the onions but leave the carrots whole.
Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet, fry the diced bacon and quartered onions until golden brown, and spoon into a casserole.
Remove the meat from the marinade, drain well.
Brown meat in the oil remaining in the pan and add to the onions.
Pour the marinade liquid and vegetables into the skillet and stir well to absorb the last of the oil.
Add the whole carrots, brandy, and herbs.
Cut the zest from the orange and squeeze a little orange juice and add this and the zest to the sauce.
Season the sauce with a little salt and pepper.
Pour over the meat and onions, cover the casserole.
Cook in the center of a slow (350 d F) for 2¼ hours.
To serve, remove the garni.
This dish is particularly good when served with spaghetti, macaroni, or noodles, topped with butter, grated cheese and a little chopped parsley.
Comments
