Make pot-au-feu
Edited by Rubab, Charmed, Eulalee, Rafah Perlado and 3 others
Most people are fond of eating different cuisines. We all have our favorites, from Asian to Middle Eastern, and of course, European.
Aside from the very well known crepes, eclairs and croissants, one of the famed main dishes of Europe is the Pot-Au-Feu (Pot on Fire). A slow cooked stew that consists of beef and vegetables. You will see many variations of this dish. Beef, chicken, fish and pork can be used in preparing pot-au-feu. The cooking time may be longer or shorter, dependent upon the meats which are used.
This two-in-one-dish recipe is quite economical and tasty. It is a combination of tender meat and vegetables set in a delicious beef bouillon. Choose two cuts of beef, about 1 kilogram each, from the following list: leg of beef, lean boned brisket, blade bone, leg of mutton or oxtail. For a great flavor, one of the cuts should be on the bone.
Ingredients
- 12 kilograms (4 1/2 lbs.) beef, preferably brisket
- 23.7 liters (3 1/2 qts.) water
- 32-3 cracked beef bones (bone-marrow)
- 440 grams (2 tablespoons) coarse salt crystals
- 512 pieces peppercorns
- 6450 grams (1 lb.)carrots
- 7350 grams (approx 12 oz.)leeks
- 81 head of celery
- 9100 grams (3 1/2 oz.)turnips
- 101 head of cabbage
- 11100 grams (3 1/2 oz.) onions
- 122 whole cloves
- 131 sprig parsley
- 141 bay leaf
- 151 clove garlic or small piece of root ginger
Procedure
- 1Put them in a very large pan (stockpot) over a low heat. Add the water, beef bones, salt and pepper and bring slowly to a boil.Wipe the meats with a damp cloth and tie each cut into a neat parcel.
- 2Always ensure that the liquid in the pot, covers the meat. Wait until the liquid is clear before adding the other ingredients.Continue to cook slowly, removing the layers of froth, as they rise, with a slotted spoon.
- 3Peel and cut the carrots and leeks into 5 centimeters (2 inch) lengths and tie into a small bundles.
- 4Cut into quarters lengthwise from the root end and then chop into 8 centimeters (3 inch) length pieces.Trim the celery, remove the coarse outer leaves.
- 5Tie into small bundles.
- 6Add these vegetables to the stockpot along with the herbs.Cut the turnips and cabbage into quarters, leave the onions whole, placing the garlic clove into one of them.
- 7Lift the lid only twice to add a cup of hot water, if necessary.When the liquid returns to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat and cook for 4-5 hours.
- 8Cut into thick slices and surround them with the vegetables. Serve the pot-au-feu with coarse crystal salt and French mustard.Remove the meat and drain well.
To store the pot-au-feu bouillon for use at a later date, allow it to cool in the pan and remove the solidified fat. Before serving, reheat, bringing the pot-au-feu to a boil. Pour into soup cups. Serve with thin, dry toast.
Notes
- For a tastier beef stock, choose beef brisket with a little fat in it to flavor.
- You can add more vegetables as you prefer but keep in mind that using beets is not a good idea because it discolors the broth and other vegetables.
- Use only the said amount of turnips in the recipe. It has a strong flavor that will over power the stew.
- If you do not want your vegetables to be mushy, add them in 30 minutes before the cooking time ends (4-5 hours cooking time). Take note that the hard veggies should come in first. In this case, it is the carrots and turnips to be put in first. Wait for about 5 to 8 minutes before adding the herbs. The last vegetable to be put in is the cabbage (about 10 minutes before turning off the stove).
If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.
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Article Info
Categories : Meats & Main Dishes
Recent edits by: Robbi, Rebecca M., Rafah Perlado
