Beef Stew with Carrots

Before starting this Beef Stew with Carrots recipe, make sure you have organised all the necessary ingredients.

Coat both sides of the meat with coarse salt, then place on a tray. Reserve for 30 minutes.
This first operation is essential to season the meat properly and will ensure perfect cooking results.

For the aromatic garnish: Peel two carrots and one onion. Peel one garlic clove and crush with a knife.

Chop the carrots and onion coarsely.

Cut the bacon into big chunks.

Remove the leaves from the carrots, peel...

... and slice at a slanted angle. Transfer into a mixing bowl and set aside.

30 minutes later, rinse the meat under running water.

Pour a dash of olive oil over the meat and season with salt and pepper on both sides.

In a cast iron casserole, add some olive oil and butter...

... then place the meat in the cold pan and turn on the heat.

Baste with the melted butter frequently.

Brown all sides of the meat.

Set aside.

Skim the sauce. Remove the oily parts of the sauce, making sure you keep the cooking juices.

Place the bacon in the pan to melt the fat a little. Add all the vegetables from the aromatic garnish, except for the bouquet garni.

While you brown the aromatic garnish, transfer the meat in the oven at 200°C (gas 6) and cook for about 30 minutes.

Add the bottle of wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan to recover the cooking juices.

Ignite the surface with a flame and flambé. Cook until reduced by half.

In a saucepan, combine 1 litre of water to a boil with the veal stock powder. Bring to a boil.

When the wine sauce has reduced by half, add the hot veal stock.

Keep on a boil.

Remove the meat from the oven and transfer into the sauce...

... and add the bouquet garni.

Add a little water in the tray used to cook the meat in the oven and scrape to recover the juices.

Pour the juice over the meat, then flip it on the other side...

... and cover with the lid. Cook in the oven at 200°C (gas 6) for one hour.

After cooking for one hour at 200°C, lower the temperature to 120°C (gas 1/2) and cook for 5 hours. You will need to baste and flip the meat two or three times while cooking.

When cooked, transfer the meat onto a tray. This operation should be very gentle, as the meat is extremely tender at this stage.

Wrap the meat with cling film and leave to cool. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This operation allows the meat to set, in order to make sure it will not shred when cutting.

Using a wet brush, wipe the cooking juices on the sides of the pan.

Over a saucepan, pass the sauce through a chinois, without pressing on the ingredients too much.

Return the sauce on the heat, then skim with a ladle...

... to remove the oily parts in the sauce.

Transfer the skimmed sauce into the cast iron pan...

... passing it through a fine sieve first.

When it starts to boil, add all the carrots...

... and cook over low heat for 2 hours.
The sauce will take a syrup-like consistency and the carrots will be perfectly cooked and flavoured with the sauce.

Using a wet brush, wipe the cooking juices on the sides of the pan.

Remove the beef from the fridge. Remove the cling film...

... and slice the meat.

In a non-stick frying pan, add a little olive oil and butter...

... and caramelise the beef slices on one side (for about 4 or 5 minutes). Make sure the butter does not burn.

Arrange the beef slices in the cast iron casserole, with the caramelised sides facing up. The sides that are not caramelised should be immersed in the sauce.

Make sure you don't moisten the beef slices with the sauce, as we want the caramelised sides to give a crunchy effect. Place the pot, without the lid, in the oven at 150°C and cook for 20 minutes.

Remove the pot from the oven and wipe the sides with a brush to get the cooking juices.

Sprinkle the surface with fresh parsley.
This delicious recipe should be served hot. Bon appétit!