Traditional Homemade Pot-au-Feu (Classic Boiled Beef) — Clear Broth, Tender Meat & Flavorful Vegetables
This traditional homemade pot-au-feu is a comforting classic boiled beef recipe with a crystal-clear broth, tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat, and perfectly seasoned vegetables. Every element is carefully balanced — from the precise salt ratio and whole peppercorns to the accurate vegetable weights and the controlled use of natural gelatin (one veal foot and two marrow bones). The result is a clear, rich, and aromatic broth with fork-tender beef, making it a timeless French dish adapted beautifully for kitchens in Canada, the U.S., and beyond.
Why This Version Works
- Measured seasoning: about 15 g salt per litre of water (add in stages).
- Balanced gelatin: 1 veal foot + 2 marrow bones create body without turning the broth into a terrine when cold.
- Precise veg weights: enough sweetness and aroma to season the broth naturally.
- Low-simmer discipline: a calm frémissement keeps your broth bright and clear.
- Separate potatoes: classic clarity move; no starch in the broth.
Ingredients (Serves 4, generous)
(Weights first in metric + imperial; include both for accuracy.)
Beef & Bones
- 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) beef chuck (macreuse)
- 400 g (14 oz) beef cheek
- 400 g (14 oz) beef shank (jarret), cross-cut or large chunks
- 1 veal foot (split), blanched
- 2 marrow bones
Aromatics & Vegetables
- 300 g (10½ oz) carrots, large pieces
- 200 g (7 oz) leeks, 1 tied bundle for garnish + trimmings for bouquet
- 200 g (7 oz) Savoy cabbage, quartered or in wedges
- 150 g (5¼ oz) turnips, quartered
- 150 g (5¼ oz) parsnip or celeriac, large chunks
- 1 small yellow onion, studded with 4 cloves
- 1 head of garlic, unpeeled (in chemise)
- 8–10 whole black peppercorns
- Bouquet garni: thyme sprigs + bay leaves + parsley stems wrapped in a strip of leek, tied
Potatoes (cooked separately)
- 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) waxy potatoes, peeled (optional pinch of turmeric for colour)
Seasoning & Water
- Coarse sea salt, about 15 g per litre of water (plan on 50–60 g total; add in two stages)
- Cold water to just cover meats/bones (≈ 3.5–4 L / 3.7–4.2 qt)
Sauce (Caper–Chive Condiment)
- 1 egg yolk
- 15 g (1 tbsp) Dijon mustard
- 30–45 ml (2–3 tbsp) red wine vinegar (start with 2 tbsp, adjust to taste)
- 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) neutral oil
- 15 g (1 tbsp) capers, chopped
- 40 g (¼ small) red onion, very finely minced
- 10 g (2 tbsp) chives, thinly sliced
- Fine salt & black pepper, to taste
Step-by-Step (Detailed)
1) Blanch gelatin pieces
Cover veal foot + marrow bones with cold water, bring to a simmer, skim 10–15 minutes, then drain. Rinse the pot and bones. This step gives you a clean, clear broth.
2) Start the broth cold
Add blanched foot + marrow bones + beef cuts to a clean pot. Cover with cold water to height (3.5–4 L). Bring very slowly to a gentle simmer. As the first bubbles appear, skim thoroughly for clarity.
3) Season & aromatics
Add half your planned salt (≈ 25–30 g), peppercorns, clove-studded onion, garlic head, and the bouquet garni (leek wrap with thyme, bay, parsley). Maintain a quiet frémissement — never a hard boil.
4) Low and slow
Simmer 2 hours, skimming as needed. After 2 hours, taste and adjust salt (add part of remaining 25–30 g). You want the broth seasoned but not salty; vegetables will bring sweetness later.
5) Add the vegetables
Add carrots, turnips, parsnip/celeriac, cabbage, and a tied leek bundle. Simmer 30–40 minutes until a knife slides in with no resistance. Lift the vegetables to a warm dish and keep hot (warm oven, covered).
6) Finish the meats
Continue simmering the meats another 30–60 minutes as needed (total 3½–4 hours) until cheek and shank are fork-tender. Skim again; remove bouquet, onion, garlic. Taste and adjust salt/pepper.
7) Potatoes separately
Boil 600 g potatoes in salted water (optional pinch turmeric) until tender; drain and keep hot.
8) Sauce
Whisk yolk + mustard. Add vinegar, salt, pepper. Drizzle in oil to form a loose emulsion. Stir in chives, minced red onion, chopped capers. Chill 15 minutes.
9) Serve
Warm plates. Arrange beef chuck, cheek, shank, surround with vegetables & potatoes. Spoon hot broth over. Serve marrow bones with a pinch of fleur de sel. Offer Sauce at the table.
Substitutions & Tweaks
- Cuts: brisket for chuck; oxtail for shank (adds body; increase simmer to 4+ hours).
- Veg: add celery ribs (classical), or swap parsnip for celeriac if you want a subtler sweetness.
- Aromatics: a splash (2–3 tbsp) of dry white wine early on adds brightness.
- Lighter broth: reduce marrow bones to one.
- Gluten-free: naturally GF (check mustard brand).
- Make-ahead: broth improves day 2; chill, lift solid fat, reheat gently.
FAQ
How clear should the broth be?
Crystal-clear. If cloudy, it likely boiled at some point or wasn’t skimmed enough. Keep the simmer barely trembling.
Is all that salt necessary?
Pot-au-feu is mostly broth; under-salting makes it flat. 15 g/L is a chef’s benchmark — add half early, the rest to taste later.
Why cook potatoes separately?
To keep the broth clear (no potato starch) and to salt potatoes properly on their own.
Can I pressure-cook it?
You’ll get tender meat faster, but the aroma development and clarity are best with a slow open simmer.
What do I do with leftovers?
Strain and chill the broth overnight (it will gel slightly). Next day: warm and serve as soup, or use as a base for Potage Parmentier.
Serving Ideas & Helpful Recipes
Work these into your meal plan or as related reads:
- Parisian potatoes
- Homemade mayonnaise (fail-proof) (technique base for the condiment)
- Creamy mushroom sauce for steak
- Homemade garlic butter
- Classic French onion soup
- Potage Parmentier (use your broth)
- Homemade tartar sauce
- Caesar dressing without mayonnaise
- Homemade brioche (for marrow toast)
- Creamy tomato soup
Traditional Homemade Pot-au-Feu (Classic Boiled Beef) — Clear Broth, Tender Meat & Flavorful Vegetables
Ingrédients
Beef & Bones
- 600 g 1 lb 5 oz beef chuck (macreuse)
- 400 g 14 oz beef cheek
- 400 g 14 oz beef shank (jarret), cross-cut or large chunks
- 1 veal foot split, blanched
- 2 marrow bones
- Aromatics & Vegetables
- 300 g 10½ oz carrots, large pieces
- 200 g 7 oz leeks, 1 tied bundle for garnish + trimmings for bouquet
- 200 g 7 oz Savoy cabbage, quartered or in wedges
- 150 g 5¼ oz turnips, quartered
- 150 g 5¼ oz parsnip or celeriac, large chunks
- 1 small yellow onion studded with 4 cloves
- 1 head of garlic unpeeled (in chemise)
- 8 –10 whole black peppercorns
- Bouquet garni: thyme sprigs + bay leaves + parsley stems wrapped in a strip of leek tied
Potatoes (cooked separately)
- 600 g 1 lb 5 oz waxy potatoes, peeled (optional pinch of turmeric for colour)
- Seasoning & Water
- Coarse sea salt about 15 g per litre of water (plan on 50–60 g total; add in two stages)
- Cold water to just cover meats/bones ≈ 3.5–4 L / 3.7–4.2 qt
- Sauce Caper–Chive Condiment
- 1 egg yolk
- 15 g 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 30 –45 ml 2–3 tbsp red wine vinegar (start with 2 tbsp, adjust to taste)
- 100 ml ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 15 g 1 tbsp capers, chopped
- 40 g ¼ small red onion, very finely minced
- 10 g 2 tbsp chives, thinly sliced
- Fine salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Blanch gelatin pieces : Cover veal foot + marrow bones with cold water, bring to a simmer, skim 10–15 minutes, then drain. Rinse the pot and bones. This step gives you a clean, clear broth.
- Start the broth cold : Add blanched foot + marrow bones + beef cuts to a clean pot. Cover with cold water to height (3.5–4 L). Bring very slowly to a gentle simmer. As the first bubbles appear, skim thoroughly for clarity.
- Season & aromatics : Add half your planned salt (≈ 25–30 g), peppercorns, clove-studded onion, garlic head, and the bouquet garni (leek wrap with thyme, bay, parsley). Maintain a quiet frémissement — never a hard boil.
- Low and slow : Simmer 2 hours, skimming as needed. After 2 hours, taste and adjust salt (add part of remaining 25–30 g). You want the broth seasoned but not salty; vegetables will bring sweetness later.
- Add the vegetables: Add carrots, turnips, parsnip/celeriac, cabbage, and a tied leek bundle. Simmer 30–40 minutes until a knife slides in with no resistance. Lift the vegetables to a warm dish and keep hot (warm oven, covered).
- Finish the meats: Continue simmering the meats another 30–60 minutes as needed (total 3½–4 hours) until cheek and shank are fork-tender. Skim again; remove bouquet, onion, garlic. Taste and adjust salt/pepper.
- Potatoes separately: Boil 600 g potatoes in salted water (optional pinch turmeric) until tender; drain and keep hot.
- Sauce : Whisk yolk + mustard. Add vinegar, salt, pepper. Drizzle in oil to form a loose emulsion. Stir in chives, minced red onion, chopped capers. Chill 15 minutes.
- Serve: Warm plates. Arrange beef chuck, cheek, shank, surround with vegetables & potatoes. Spoon hot broth over. Serve marrow bones with a pinch of fleur de sel. Offer Sauce at the table.
Vidéo
Notes
Substitutions & Tweaks
- Cuts: brisket for chuck; oxtail for shank (adds body; increase simmer to 4+ hours).
- Veg: add celery ribs (classical), or swap parsnip for celeriac if you want a subtler sweetness.
- Aromatics: a splash (2–3 tbsp) of dry white wine early on adds brightness.
- Lighter broth: reduce marrow bones to one.
- Gluten-free: naturally GF (check mustard brand).
- Make-ahead: broth improves day 2; chill, lift solid fat, reheat gently.
FAQ
How clear should the broth be?Crystal-clear. If cloudy, it likely boiled at some point or wasn’t skimmed enough. Keep the simmer barely trembling. Is all that salt necessary?
Pot-au-feu is mostly broth; under-salting makes it flat. 15 g/L is a chef’s benchmark — add half early, the rest to taste later. Why cook potatoes separately?
To keep the broth clear (no potato starch) and to salt potatoes properly on their own. Can I pressure-cook it?
You’ll get tender meat faster, but the aroma development and clarity are best with a slow open simmer. What do I do with leftovers?
Strain and chill the broth overnight (it will gel slightly). Next day: warm and serve as soup, or use as a base for Potage Parmentier.
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