Beef Daube stew with black olives and carrots
An easy dinner recipe, this beef stew with black olives and carrots is a French classic that is sure to please the whole family.
Main ingredients:
 | Beef chuck or any other cut of beef |
 | Black olives – pitted black olives (green olives will not have the same flavor) |
 | Chopped or sliced white onion. You can also use pearl onions. |
 | Chopped fresh or frozen carrots |
 | Bacon – chopped bacon to add a ton of flavor. |
Spices and flavoring ingredients:
 | Garlic powder or crushed garlic cloves |
 | Parsley |
 | Thyme |
 | Bay leaf |
 | Beef liquid stock or beef cube stock in water |
 | Pinch of salt and pepper |
Accents for the sauce:
 | Tomato sauce or paste – add a touch of sweetness |
 | Butter to sear the bacon |
 | Flour to thicken the sauce |
 | (Optional) Red wine – any type of dry red wine. |
 | (Optional) Brandy – If you don’t want to use alcohol, you can leave it out. |
As far as comfort foods go, beef daube stew with black olives and carrots is a French classic. The cooked olives gives a wonderful depth of flavor and a little twist to the classic beef bourguignon recipe.
The recipe originates from the Mediterranean coast where olives are plentiful. The tartness of the olives is offset by the sweet carrots and tomato paste, and brings the flavors of the beef to life.
Now, the recipe does involve slow-cooking and simmering the meats for over 2 hours to tenderize the meat, but don’t let that put you off. (You can also make it in the Instant pot if you wish, at High temperature for 40 minutes.)
This delicious meal is perfect for those long and lazy Sunday lunch with family and friends, or as a meal that you can make in advance the night before. It taste better the next day, you know!
Without wine
If you don’t want to use alcohol, substitute the wine for more beef stock and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. And you can leave out the cognac entirely.
Cooking tips
- You don’t need high-end cuts of meat, boneless beef chuck is perfect when making a stew, since it is affordable and ideal for long, slow cooking or pressure cooking.
- The longer the beef stew cooks, the more juicy it will be, so let sit for a few minutes before serving.
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Beef Stew with black olives and carrots
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 kg of beef chunk cut into medium-sized portions
- 6 strips of bacon sliced into small pieces
- 1 onion chopped up
- 2 carrots chopped
- 125 g of chopped and pitted black olives (4oz)
- 2 cups of beef stock
- 1 garlic clove chopped up
- 4 sprigs of thyme
- 4 sprigs of parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 2 tablespoons of flour
- 1 cup tomato sauce or 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 1/4 cup of brandy
- pinch of salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the bacon and butter in a large dutch oven or casserole pot and sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Remove the bacon from the pot.
- Add the onions and the beef into the pot and brown them for about 10 minutes.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients (except the flour) into the pot and cover with a lid.
- Simmer the stew at medium temperature for about 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, in a small bowl, mix in the flour with a tablespoon of water to make a slurry.
- Add the slurry to the beef stew.
- Cook for about for 10 more minutes at medium temperature to let the sauce thicken.
- Let the beef stew rest for 10 minutes on low heat.
- Taste to add salt and pepper if necessary.
- Serve while warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note: We are not certified nutritionists and these estimates written and produced for entertainment purposes only.
What to serve with it?
Beef daube stew is lovely when served with rice, steamed potatoes, mashed potatoes or tagliatelle pasta. (I usually have my rice cooker cooking at the same time.)
But there are many other accompaniments that go very well with beef stew, such as brown rice, green lentils, polenta, or even bulgur.
How to store it?
Beef daube stew is one of those recipes that tastes better the next day. You can easily put aside portions in a container and put in the freezer. Let it cool, and then place in an airtight glass container.
