Braised beef with gingerbread
Passed down from my grandmother Schmidt, innkeeper and pioneer of Québécois gastronomy, this recipe brings me back to my childhood memories. I like to picture myself sitting on the kitchen island of the inn while the beef braises gently under the harshness of winter.
- Portions
- 4
- Preparation time
- 15 minutes
- Cooking time
- 3h15
Ingredients
- 680 g (1 1/2 lb) of chuck roast (with or without bone)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
6 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
4 garlic cloves, crushed
750 ml (3 cups) beef broth
2 slices of gingerbread about 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick, crumbled (see the recipe on the blog)
4 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp raw spring honey
75 ml (1/3 cup) tamari
1 piece of fresh ginger, about 2.5 cm (1 inch), sliced
4 whole star anise
15 g (1/4 cup) fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper - Variation: You can replace the chuck roast with veal cubes.
Preparation steps
-
- Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Generously season the meat with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the meat and sear it well on both sides. Remove the beef from the Dutch oven and set it aside on a plate.
- Place the onions and carrots in the Dutch oven. Sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until they start to brown. Add the garlic and continue cooking for another minute.
- Return the meat to the Dutch oven. Add the broth, gingerbread pieces, tomato paste, honey, tamari, ginger, and star anise. (The liquid should reach the level of the meat.)
- Bring to a boil on the stovetop, then transfer to the oven. Cover and cook for about 3 hours, or until the meat pulls away from the bone easily with a fork. After 1 hour of cooking, turn the roast and check that the liquid level is halfway up the meat. If needed, add 125 ml (1/2 cup) of water.
- Once the meat is cooked, remove the fat from the top of the sauce using a spoon. Portion the meat onto the plates. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with a delicious mashed potato puree or egg noodles.
