Classic French Stew: Boeuf Braisé aux Carottes (Braised Beef with carrots)

Today, we’re featuring a simple French classic stew recipe — the boeuf aux carottes (braised beef with carrots).  A braised beef with carrots is a delicious dish that gives great aroma to your home as you are cooking it.  It also warms up our bodies and hearts when we are eating it!  It’s even tastier the following day so we recommend preparing it the day before.  Check our detailed recipe and Art of the Home suggestions below.  Enjoy and bon appétit!

Boeuf aux Carottes (Braised Beef with carrots)

by Art of the Home

Ingredients (for 6 servings)

• About 3 lbs beef chuck roast
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbps flour
• 6 carrots
• 1 big onion or 2 medium ones
• 3 TBSP of tomato paste
• 2 cups beef broth (homemade beef broth, store bought beef broth, 2 cups of water with 1/2 tsp of beef base, or 2 cups of water with 1 beef bouillon cube)
• 1 glass of white wine (about 1 cup)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig of rosemary (optional)
• Salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 325 °F.
2. Take beef out of the fridge 1/2 hour ahead.  Cut the beef in small chunks (about 3/4 inches diameter) and pat dry.  It is an easy but important step that will insure your meat will brown nicely.
3. Heat olive oil in an oven proof casserole.  It should have a lid — it will be needed for braising in the oven.  We used our Le Creuset enameled cast -iron 7 1/4 quart round French oven for this recipe.
4. Peel and wash carrots.  Cut in 1/2 inch rounds.
5. Peel and chop onions.
6. Peel garlic cloves and cut it in half lengthwise.
7. Once beef has browned (about 10-15 min), set aside.
8. Sautée carrots and onion in meat juice under medium heat (about 10-15 min).
9. Return meat chunks to the pot.  Sprinkle with flour and stir so all beef is coated.  Cook for about 5 minutes under low to medium heat.
10. Add in beef broth, wine, garlic, bay leaves, rosemary sprig, and mix in tomato paste.  Bring back to a gentle boil.
11. Check in every hour and mix stew, scraping the bottom to make sure it doesn’t stick.  Should be done in about 2.5 to 3 hours depending on the quality of the beef.

Art of the Home Suggestions:

1. Bacon lovers: a boeuf aux carottes can also include bacon so feel free to add a couple of thick slices of bacon cut in small pieces.  Simply add the bacon when you are sautéing the carrots and onions.
2. Side dish: half a cup (per person) of cooked steamed potatoes, jasmine rice or noodles pairs really well with this stew.
3. Baguette lovers: if you don’t have a side dish, bread is a great alternative.  Soak up the sauce with a fresh baguette, delicious!
4. Wine substition: you can skip the wine and add beef bouillon instead.
5. Make ahead of time: a boeuf aux carottes is even better the following day.  So make it the day before, this will free you up the following day.  Or make it up to a couple months ahead and freeze it (preferably in a glass container) and be ready at a moments notice with a delicious boeuf aux carottes.