Old fashioned corned beef stew

As an Amazon Associate I old fashioned corned beef stew from qualifying purchases. The French really know how to make great stews. Here is one of them and it uses a method similar to that of German Sauerbraten and corned beef to achieve both an exquisitely tangy flavor and a lusciously tender beef.

Many of you have already been introduced to my French friend, Sandrine, from here and here. I thought it only fitting to my Le Creuset dutch oven for the occasion. Sandrine had the fortune of inheriting her great-grandmother’s Le Creuset. Her great-grandmother was an accomplished cook and owned a cafe next to a castle in Lorraine. Of all things to have inherited from her I can’t think of anything more perfect than her old Le Creuset. To think of how many meals were made in that Le Creuset and the stories and history surrounding it.

Le Creuset is going to be passed down, too. This beautiful and robustly rich stew featuring vegetables that were staples in our grandmother’s and great-grandmother’s kitchens but several of which have since fallen out of popularity, which is a shame. Turnips, rutabagas and parsnips were as much staples a hundred years ago as carrots and potatoes are today. They contribute such a fantastic flavor and texture to this stew, so be sure to use them and don’t be tempted to look for substitutes. Another vegetable that would commonly be added to this traditional stew in France is salsify, a delicious and versatile Winter root vegetable in the dandelion family. It’s very difficult to find here in the U.

This stew is also naturally gluten free and paleo. Cut up the meat into 1-inch chunks. The meat is going to simmer for two hours, so that will enough to tenderize it anyway, but generally you want to cut it against the grains for optimal tenderness. Place the beef in the dutch oven with the onions and carrots and the bouquet garni. For quick and easy tutorial on how to make a bouquet garni, see my post How To Make A Bouquet Garni.

Add the red wine and the red wine vinegar. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for 24 hours. After it has fully marinated, remove the beef and pat it with paper towels to remove the excess moisture. This will enable it to brown properly and get that brown crust that is essential for the flavor of the stew. Heat the oil in the dutch oven over medium-high heat once the oil is very hot add the beef, a few pieces at a time. Be sure not to overcrowd the pot otherwise the beef won’t brown, it will simply steam.