Provençale Beef Stew - Daube Provençale

2 kg/4 lbs stewing beef, cut into large cubes

6 oz. smoked bacon in one piece or cut into small cubes

2 onions, cut into quarters

3 carrots, diced

4 cloves garlic

6 bay leaves

4 cloves

1 bouquet garni (thyme, parsley, rosemary)*

1 1/2 Tablespoon Herbes de Provence

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

5 cups red wine (Côte du Rhône if you happen to have some)

1 orange, juice and rind/zest

18 juniper berries, crushed*

peppercorns, sea salt

Marinate all the ingredients, except the salt and 1/2 the olive oil, in the wine for at least 3 hours in the fridge, even better overnight.

Drain the mixture in a colander, collecting the liquid marinade in a bowl.

Separate the meat from the other ingredients and brown it in most of the remaining olive oil on all sides over medium high heat. At the same time, sauté the other marinated ingredients in the remaining oil in a large cast iron skillet (if you have one).

Add the well-browned meat to the cast iron skillet, then the marinade and 2 tablespoons of salt.

Place the covered cast iron pot in the oven at 250°-275°F and cook for 1 1/2 hours. After one hour of cooking, check every 15 minutes to see if meat is done. Daube is usually slightly over-cooked.

When meat is very tender, adjust the seasoning as needed and remove the bouquet garni. Serve nice and warm, reheating the ‘Daube’ again only improves its flavour!

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Provençale Beef Stew – Daube Provençale

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