French Beef Stew with Olives

4.58 from 7 votes

Daube à la boeuf is a classic French beef stew with olives, made with red wine, featuring meltingly tender meat in a rich sauce.

Prep Time30

Cook Time4

Total Time4 30

Course: Meat Recipes

Cuisine: French

Servings: -6 servings

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.
7 oz onions/ 200 g + 4 garlic cloves + 5.5 oz carrots/ 150 g
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.
2.2 lbs beef chuck roast/ 1 kg + 5.5 oz streaky bacon/ 150 g
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.
3 tablespoons olive oil
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.
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Return the meat and bacon to the pot. Sprinkle the flour all over the meat and stir well for about 1 minute.
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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.
3 cups dry red wine/ 750 ml + 2 cups beef broth or beef bone broth/ 500 ml + 2 bay leaves + 6 sprigs 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.
fine sea salt and pepper + a pinch of sugar
Add the olives and let the sauce simmer for another 5 minutes or so until the olives are heated through.
3.5 oz black olives/ 100 g

Notes

Broth: 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.
Preferably olives with the pit inside. Warn the people at the table about the pit.

Nutrition