In brief
Pot-au-feu, the iconic French dish: beef slowly simmered with autumn vegetables in a fragrant broth.
30 min
Prep time
180 min
Cook time
6
Servings
Medium
Difficulty
3h30
Total time
Ingredients
Instructions
-
1
Place the beef cuts in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Carefully skim the foam that forms on the surface.
-
2
Add the bouquet garni, cloves stuck into the peeled onion, peppercorns and coarse salt. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 1.5 hours.
-
3
Meanwhile, peel all the vegetables. Cut the carrots and turnips into large chunks. Split the leeks in half lengthwise and tie them in bundles.
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4
Add the carrots, turnips and celery to the pot. Continue cooking for 45 minutes over low heat.
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5
Add the leeks and potatoes. Cook for another 30-45 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
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6
Remove the meat and cut into thick slices. Arrange on a warm serving platter with the drained vegetables.
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7
Strain the broth and serve as a starter in bowls with toasted bread.
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8
Serve the meat and vegetables with strong mustard, coarse salt, gherkins and horseradish.
Additional information
Pot-au-feu is much more than a simple stew: it is a monument of French gastronomy, a dish that spans generations and brings families together around the table. Auguste Escoffier considered it the "symbol of French home cooking."
The principle is simple but requires patience: long, gentle cooking transforms modest cuts of meat into melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, while creating an incomparably rich broth. Autumn vegetables — turnips, carrots, leeks — absorb the flavours and complete this feast of simplicity.
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