Bœuf carottes
Braised beef with carrots
Bœuf carottes: French beef braised slowly with a mountain of carrots
Bœuf carottes is the simple slow braise French grandmothers and school canteens have always made on cold weekdays, a whole pan of beef and carrots cooked so long that the meat collapses and the carrots turn sweet and glossy. Some families add a glass of wine; this version uses stock and a little tomato so it is alcohol-free and suits everyone. It is even better reheated the next day. The common mistake is using lean steak, which dries out; you need a gelatinous cut like chuck or cheek. Chef's tip: cut the carrots thick on the slant; they hold their shape through three hours of cooking.
- Total time
- 200 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 ⅝ lb beef chuck or cheekcut in 6 cm pieces
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 onionssliced
- 3 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 ⅝ lb carrotspeeled, cut 2 cm thick on the slant
- 3 cups beef stock
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsleychopped
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Season the 2 ⅝ lb beef chuck or cheek with 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Heat the 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a casserole over a high heat and brown the meat in batches for 5 minutes per batch until deeply coloured. Lift out.
15 minStep 2: Lower the heat, add the 2 onions and cook for 5 minutes until soft, then stir in the 3 cloves garlic and 1 tbsp tomato purée for 1 minute.
5 minStep 3: Return the beef, add the 2 ⅝ lb carrots, 3 cups beef stock and 1 bouquet garni. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on the lowest heat (or in the oven at 300°F, 275°F fan) for 2½–3 hours, until the beef falls apart when pressed with a fork.
160 minStep 4: Remove the bouquet. If the sauce is thin, boil uncovered for 5 minutes until glossy. Scatter with 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley and serve with boiled potatoes or pasta.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 450 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bœuf carottes take?
- About 200 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 180 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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