Pot-au-feu, marrow & bouillon vegetables

The great French Sunday pot: various cuts of beef and marrow bones simmer for hours in clear broth until everything is tender and the vegetables carry the aroma of the stock. Marrow on toasted bread, coarse salt — warmth in a single pot.

Beef & Game Category

30 MIN Prep time

180 MIN Cook time

4 people Servings

Pot-au-feu, marrow & bouillon vegetables

Preparation

Start the meat

Cover the meat with cold water in a large pot, bring to a boil and carefully skim off the rising foam. Add the onion with the cloves, bay, peppercorns and salt and, over low heat, 2.5 to 3 hours simmer gently — the broth must never bubble, or it turns cloudy.

Add the vegetables

Cook the carrots, parsnips, celeriac and leek during the last 30 to 40 minutes until tender but still holding their shape.

Poach the marrow

Let the marrow bones steep in the stock during the last 15 minutes until the marrow is soft and glossy.

Serve

Slice the meat, arrange with the vegetables, spread the marrow on toasted bread and sprinkle with coarse salt. Pour over a little hot broth; serve mustard and cornichons alongside.

Why this wine?

The Gigue, with bright, juicy fruit, refreshes the long-simmered beef and the fatty richness of the marrow; its lively acidity cuts right through.

Good to know

Tips & insights

Start the meat in cold water and heat it slowly, so the broth stays clear.
Skim the rising foam carefully in the first few minutes; this keeps the stock clean.
Add the marrow bones only in the last half hour, or the marrow comes loose too early.
Add the vegetables in stages according to their cooking time, so nothing falls apart and everything stays firm.
Serve the broth as a clear first course with toasted bread, with the meat and vegetables to follow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which wine pairs with Pot-au-feu?

The long-simmered beef and the rich marrow call for a red with juicy fruit and lively acidity that cuts through the fat and keeps the palate fresh. We drink our Gigue from LaSuite aux Conseillans with it, a Merlot-based red with polished tannin. It accompanies the Dijon mustard and the coarse salt calmly and clearly.

How does the broth turn clear?

Start the meat in cold water and let it only barely tremble, never boil hard. Skim the foam thoroughly in the first few minutes. Vigorous heat clouds the stock, because fat and particles get stirred in. Patience over a low flame is the whole trick.

When do the marrow bones go in?

Add the marrow bones only in the last half hour. Cooking them too long loosens the marrow and clouds the broth. If needed, wrap the bones in kitchen string or a muslin cloth so the marrow stays in the bone when served.

What makes a good side?

Classics are coarse sea salt, Dijon mustard and cornichons, plus toasted country bread for the marrow. A horseradish sauce or a sharp vinaigrette also work. Keep the sides plain and savoury so they enliven the mild meat and the clear broth.

The wine to pair