A winter dish from French country cuisine, newly interpreted
🍷 Inspiration and Origin
The classic “Bœuf Bourguignon” has long gained an elegant brother: the Bœuf au Bordeaux – a braised beef roast in a profound, velvety red wine jus, situated between rustic and refined. The Bordeaux region, famous for its wines, gives this dish not only its name but also its aromatic soul.
As a side dish, there is celery gratin, which gives the dish a light, nutty note and a modern freshness – instead of the traditional potato side.
🧑🍳 The Recipe
🔸 For 4 persons
Preparation time: approx. 3.5 hours
Difficulty level: medium to challenging
Flavor: strong, aromatic, hearty & elegant
📝 Ingredients
For the braised roast:
- 1.2 kg beef braising roast (preferably from the shoulder or shin)
- Salt, black pepper
- 3 tbsp clarified butter or neutral oil
- 2 onions, coarsely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
- 1 small piece of celery root, diced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp flour
- 750 ml robust Bordeaux red wine (dry)
- 400 ml beef stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1 piece orange peel (optional – for depth)
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
For the celery gratin:
- 600 g celery root
- 200 g potatoes (floury)
- 250 ml cream
- 150 ml milk
- 1 garlic clove, halved
- Salt, nutmeg
- 100 g Gruyère or Comté, freshly grated
- Butter for the dish
👩🍳 Preparation
1. Prepare and sear the meat
- Pat the meat dry, salt and pepper.
- Heat the clarified butter in a heavy casserole and sear the meat all around on high heat (approx. 10 minutes). Remove and set aside.
2. Sauté vegetables & deglaze
- In the same casserole, roast onions, garlic, carrots and celery.
- Stir in the tomato paste and briefly roast.
- Sprinkle with flour, stir, then deglaze with one-third of the wine. Bring to the boil and scrape up the roasting residues from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the remaining wine and beef stock. Add herbs, peppercorns and orange peel.
3. Let simmer
- Place the meat back into the casserole. Put the lid on.
- Braise in the preheated oven at 150 °C (top/bottom heat) for about 2.5–3 hours until the meat is meltingly tender.
- Turn once in between. Add some liquid if needed.
4. Finish the sauce
- Remove the meat and keep warm.
- Pass the sauce through a fine sieve, pressing well. Then reduce over medium heat on the stove until syrupy and glossy.
- Season with salt, pepper and if desired, a piece of cold butter to enrich.
🥘 Prepare celery gratin (while the meat simmers)
Preparation:
- Peel celery root and potatoes and slice thinly.
- Bring cream and milk to a boil with some salt, nutmeg and the halved garlic clove, then remove from heat.
Baking:
- Grease the baking dish with butter.
- Layer celery and potato slices like roof tiles, pouring the cream-milk mixture over them.
- Sprinkle with grated Gruyère.
- Bake at 180 °C (top/bottom heat) for about 45–50 minutes until golden brown, until it bubbles and smells fragrant.
🍽️ Plating & Serving
- Slice the meat into portions, coat with the glossy Bordeaux sauce.
- Place a piece of the creamy, nutty celery gratin beside it.
- If desired, garnish with a few drops of truffle oil or fresh thyme.
🧂 Tips & Variations
- Vegetarian option: Prepare the sauce with mushrooms (e.g., Portobello) and root vegetables instead of meat.
- Wine recommendation: A matured Bordeaux, such as a Médoc or Saint-Émilion Grand Cru.
- Preparation: The dish tastes almost even better the next day – ideal for guests.