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beef stew with red wine and olive on a white plate
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4.58 from 7 votes

Red Wine Beef Stew

Daube à la boeuf – a classic French red wine beef stew with meltingly tender meat pieces, a rich sauce, and olives.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 30 minutes
Course: Meat Recipes
Cuisine: French
Servings: 4 -6
Calories: 852kcal
Author: Adina

Ingredients

  • 7 oz onions 200 g
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 5.5 oz carrots 150 g
  • 2.2 lbs beef chuck roast 1 kg
  • 5.5 oz streaky bacon in one piece and with the rind on, if possible, 150 g
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups dry red wine 750 ml
  • 2 cups beef broth or beef bone broth 500 ml, (Note 1)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 sprigs thyme
  • 3.5 oz black olives 100 g, (Note 2)
  • a pinch of sugar
  • fine sea salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Chop the onions and the garlic finely. Next, chop the carrot into smallish cubes. Set aside separately.
  • Chop the beef into 3 cm/ 1.2 inch cubes. Place the cubes on kitchen paper and pat dry with another piece of kitchen paper. Remove the rind from the bacon in one piece (if it has any) and cube the bacon into small cubes.
  • Fry beef cubes: Place the rind of the bacon in a large Dutch oven. Let it render shortly, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and fry the beef cubes, in several batches, until nicely browned. Add a little more of the oil as needed. Remove the meat from the pot.
  • Add the bacon and fry shortly. Next, add the onions and the garlic and cook until translucent. Next, add the chopped carrots and continue cooking for further 5 minutes. Finally, add the tomato paste and cook shortly.
  • Return the meat and bacon to the pot. Sprinkle the flour all over the meat, stir well for about 1 minute.
  • Pour the red wine into the pot and let bubble, stirring until approximately reduced by half. Add the beef broth (and extra stock cube, if using), bay leaves, and thyme.
  • Close pot tightly: Place a piece of parchment paper over the pot, it should be a bit larger than the pot itself. Place the lid on top and make sure it is tightly closed.
  • Simmer: Reduce the heat and simmer for about 2 ½ to 3 hours, stirring every now and then. Check after 2 ½ hours; the meat should be very tender; if it is not yet, continue cooking it.
  • Adjust taste: If you feel that the sauce becomes too thick, add more bone broth or water. When the meat is very tender, adjust the taste of the stew with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.
  • Add the olives and let the sauce simmer for another 5 minutes or so until the olives are heated through.

Notes

  1. If using regular beef broth, add an extra beef stock cube for more flavor. If using bone broth that will not be necessary, bone broth is very deeply flavored.
  2. Preferably olives with the pit inside. Warn the people at the table about the pit.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 852kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 30g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 1182mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g