There’s an undeniable magic that unfolds when humble ingredients come together in a Dutch oven, transforming into a symphony of rich flavors. Few dishes exemplify this better than a classic French beef stew, and among them, Provencal Beef Stew, or Daube Provençal, stands out as an exquisite testament to slow cooking.

While I appreciate a perfectly seared, dry-aged steak as much as any meat lover, there’s a profound satisfaction in taking an inexpensive cut of beef, like a chuck roast, and coaxing it into meltingly tender, buttery perfection. It’s a culinary alchemy that embodies the very best of winter cooking, offering deep comfort and a sense of reward for patience in the kitchen.

The Essence of Daube Provençal: A Culinary Journey to Provence

The Daube is a quintessential French stew, originating from the sun-drenched region of Provence. Unlike its Burgundian cousin, Boeuf Bourguignon, a Daube typically treats the beef to a long, overnight marinade in red wine, often with a splash of vinegar and a medley of aromatic herbs. This crucial first step tenderizes the meat while deeply infusing it with complex flavors before it even touches the heat.

Traditionally, a Daube is slow-braised in a special pot called a daubière, a ceramic vessel designed for slow, even cooking. While a traditional daubière is a beautiful piece of culinary history, a modern Dutch oven serves as an excellent substitute, ensuring your stew achieves that signature melt-in-your-mouth texture and profoundly rounded flavor.

What truly sets Provencal Beef Stew apart is its distinct regional character. The addition of bright orange zest and briny Niçoise olives provides a delightful “pop” of flavor – a certain je ne sais quoi – that elegantly balances the richness of the beef and wine. These elements are not mere afterthoughts; they are the vibrant soul of Provence, adding a unique aromatic and savory dimension that makes this stew unforgettable.

Crafting the Perfect Marinade: The Foundation of Flavor

The marinade is arguably the most critical component of a truly exceptional Daube Provençal. It’s where the magic begins, transforming tough beef chuck into succulent, flavor-packed morsels. Think of it as a flavor bath, allowing the meat to absorb all the wonderful notes of the wine, herbs, and aromatics over an extended period.

Choosing Your Wine: A Matter of Taste and Tradition

Just as with any wine-forward dish, the quality of the wine you choose is paramount. The old adage, “Don’t cook with it if you wouldn’t drink it,” holds especially true here. Since the wine serves both to marinate and braise the meat, its character will permeate every bite of the finished stew. You don’t need to splurge on an expensive bottle, but opt for something you genuinely enjoy. A robust Côtes du Rhône is a traditional and highly recommended choice for Daube. Its full body and rich fruit notes create a well-flavored stew that is deep but never overwhelmingly assertive. Other excellent options include Grenache or Syrah blends, which offer similar profiles of dark fruit and subtle spice.

Essential Aromatics for Depth

Beyond the wine, the marinade is built upon a foundation of classic aromatics. Sliced onions and carrots provide sweetness and earthy notes, while minced garlic adds pungent depth. A generous blend of fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, and parsley, along with bay leaves and a hint of ground cloves, infuse the beef with a fragrant, herbaceous bouquet that speaks of the Provençal landscape. A touch of olive oil in the marinade helps distribute these fat-soluble flavors, and a hint of red wine vinegar adds brightness, helping to tenderize the meat and balance the richness.

Allowing the beef to marinate for 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator is key. This extended soak ensures that the flavors fully penetrate the meat, setting the stage for an incredibly tender and flavorful final dish.

Slow Braising for Maximum Flavor and Tenderness

Once marinated, the beef is ready for its long, slow journey to tender perfection. Braising is a cooking method that involves searing meat at high heat, then finishing it in a covered pot with liquid at a lower temperature. This two-step process locks in flavor and moisture, making even the toughest cuts incredibly tender.

Searing the Beef and Bacon

The process begins by draining and thoroughly drying the marinated beef cubes. This is a crucial step for achieving a proper sear, which creates a delicious, caramelized crust. While the beef is browning in batches, thick-cut bacon, rendered into savory lardons, adds another layer of smoky richness to the pot. This rendered bacon fat, along with any browned bits from the beef, forms the flavorful foundation for the stew’s liquid.

The Art of Combining Flavors

After the beef is seared and the bacon is set aside, the reserved marinade and vegetables are added to the Dutch oven. Deglazing the pot by scraping up all those delicious browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon is essential – these are concentrated flavors that will enrich your stew. The browned beef and bacon are then returned to the pot, joined by chopped tomatoes, the vibrant orange zest, and a bouquet garni (a bundle of herbs) to deepen the aromatic profile.

The stew is brought to a boil, then covered and braised in a preheated oven. Starting at a slightly higher temperature and then reducing it ensures a gentle, even cook. This slow braising for several hours allows the collagen in the beef to break down, resulting in meat that is incredibly tender and succulent, literally falling apart with a fork. Stirring occasionally ensures everything cooks evenly and prevents sticking.

The Provençal Touch: Orange Zest and Olives

Towards the end of the braising, the stew is finished with sautéed mushrooms and those characteristic Niçoise olives. The mushrooms add an earthy depth and lovely texture, while the olives introduce a briny, savory counterpoint that cuts through the richness of the stew. The orange zest, introduced earlier, subtly brightens the entire dish, providing a nuanced citrus aroma that is a hallmark of Provençal cooking.

The “Better the Next Day” Phenomenon

Provencal Beef Stew is one of those rare dishes that is not only delicious the day it’s made but often even better the second day. This isn’t just an old wives’ tale; there’s a scientific reason behind it. As the stew cools and rests, the flavors have more time to mingle, meld, and deepen. The ingredients continue to infuse each other, creating a more harmonious and complex taste profile.

Many culinary enthusiasts even advocate for serving a Daube on day three or four for the ultimate flavor experience. While the depth certainly builds, I personally find Day One to be delicious and Day Two to be divine. After hours of fragrant simmering filling your kitchen, it takes serious willpower to wait another two days to savor this culinary masterpiece!

Serving Your Hearty Provencal Beef Stew

This comforting beef stew is a time investment, but it’s far from fussy to make. Most of the cooking process is hands-off, allowing you to enjoy the wonderful aromas filling your home, especially on a cold, wintry weekend. The flavor payoff is immense, making every moment spent worthwhile.

Serve your Provencal Beef Stew piping hot in warmed bowls. It pairs beautifully with buttered egg noodles, creamy mashed potatoes, soft polenta, or even a simple bed of rice to soak up all the rich sauce. A crusty baguette on the side is also highly recommended for dipping. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley for a burst of color and fresh flavor.

For a complete Provençal experience, consider pairing your stew with a glass of robust red wine. A juicy Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with its notes of red fruit and spice, complements the rich stew wonderfully. This hearty meal is truly the perfect antidote to chilly weather, making you feel perfectly “ok” even if a certain groundhog predicts six more weeks of icy winter.

Recipe: Provencal Beef Stew (Daube Provençal)

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Provencal Beef Stew (Daube Provençal)

by
Amanda Biddle

Beef cubes, marinated and slowly-braised in robust red wine with orange zest and Niçoise olives, make Provencal Beef Stew a perfect winter weekend treat.

Since the wine is prominent in this dish, use a bottle that you would enjoy drinking. When serving, a glass of juicy Châteauneuf-du-Pape complements the rich stew well.

Inspired by many sources, including Paula Wolfert’s Mediterranean Cooking

Prep Time:
12 hours 10 minutes

Cook Time:
4 hours 40 minutes

Total Time:
16 hours 50 minutes

Servings:
6 servings

Ingredients

For the Marinade:

• 1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 carrots (about 3/4 cup), sliced into coins
• 2 tablespoons chopped mixed herbs (e.g. rosemary, thyme, parsley)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 garlic cloves (about 1-1/2 teaspoons), minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 750 ml bottle red wine (e.g. Côtes du Rhône)
• ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
• 3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes

To Make and Serve the Stew:

• olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly-ground pepper
• whole sprigs of thyme, rosemary, and parsley (4-5 each), tied in a bunch or placed in a bouquet garni bag
• 4 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into lardons*
• 28 ounce can whole tomatoes, drained, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• ½ cup olives (preferably Niçoise)
• ½ pound white button mushrooms, quartered (or halved if large)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• chopped parsley
• buttered egg noodles or potatoes, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine onion, carrots, chopped herbs, bay leaves, garlic cloves, salt, pepper, ground cloves, 1 tablespoon olive oil, red wine, and red wine vinegar. Add beef cubes and toss to combine. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12-24 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Drain and dry beef cubes, reserving the marinade. Season with kosher salt and freshly-ground pepper. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over moderate heat in a 6-1/2 quart Dutch oven. Cook the bacon lardons until fat is rendered, but not crisp. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Working in batches, add beef cubes to the pan and brown on all sides (about 3 minutes per side), adding additional olive oil as needed. Transfer browned beef cubes to a bowl.
4. Add reserved marinade and vegetables to the Dutch oven, scraping the browned beef and bacon bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add beef cubes and bacon back to the pot with the chopped tomatoes, orange zest, and bouquet garni, stirring to combine.
5. Bring to a boil, cover Dutch oven and braise in preheated oven for one hour. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F. Continue braising for an additional 3 to 4 hours until the meat is very tender, stirring occasionally.
6. While the stew is braising, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet until bubbling. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring to coat, until juices are released and mushrooms are lightly browned. Set aside.
7. Remove stew from oven and discard the bouquet garni and bay leaves. Skim the fat from the top of the braising liquid.** Add the mushrooms and olives, gently stirring to incorporate. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Ladle stew into warmed bowls with buttered egg noodles or potatoes, if desired, and garnish with chopped parsley.

Notes

*To cut bacon into lardons, stack slices and cut straight down into 1/4-inch wide pieces with a sharp knife.

**If you prefer a thicker “gravy,” transfer meat and vegetables to a bowl and stir 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cool water into the braising liquid. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until thickened. Return meat and vegetables to the Dutch oven and proceed.

Nutrition Estimate

Calories: 700kcal |
Carbohydrates: 15g |
Protein: 48g |
Fat: 39g |
Saturated Fat: 15g |
Cholesterol: 173mg |
Sodium: 1084mg |
Potassium: 1424mg |
Fiber: 3g |
Sugar: 6g |
Vitamin A: 3945IU |
Vitamin C: 18.2mg |
Calcium: 117mg |
Iron: 7.2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

About our recipes

Please note that our recipes have been developed using the US Customary measurement system and have not been tested for high altitude/elevation cooking and baking.