Daube Provençale

The great slow braise of Provence: beef marinated and simmered for hours in red wine with a forest of thyme, a strip of dried orange peel, black olives, and a little salted anchovy, until the meat falls to spoonfuls and the sauce turns dark, glossy, and profound

Origin: Provence, France

From the journey of Thyme.

The daube is the Sunday and feast-day braise of Provence, named for the daubière, the squat earthenware pot in which it was traditionally cooked slowly at the edge of the fire. It is the southern French cousin of boeuf bourguignon, but unmistakably of the Midi: where the Burgundian dish leans on bacon and button mushrooms, the daube takes its character from thyme and the herbs of the garrigue, a strip of dried orange peel, black Niçoise olives, and a discreet melted anchovy that deepens without announcing itself. The dish is always made a day ahead, for a daube is held to be better on the second day, when the flavours have settled and married. Thyme is its defining herb, tied into the bouquet garni and strewn through the pot, the resinous note that holds the long, dark cooking together.

Ingredients

Beef and marinade

  • 1.5 kg stewing beef (chuck or shin), cut into large 5cm pieces
  • 750 ml robust red wine (a Côtes du Rhône or similar)
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 2 carrots, cut into thick rounds
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves

Braise

  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 150 g smoked bacon lardons or pancetta
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 400 g chopped tomatoes (tinned)
  • 2 strips dried orange peel (or pared zest of 1 orange)
  • 4 anchovy fillets in oil
  • 1 tsp herbes de Provence
  • 100 g black olives (Niçoise or Kalamata), stoned
  • 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

Method

  1. The day before, combine the beef, red wine, sliced onion, carrots, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves in a large bowl. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 6 hours.
  2. Drain the beef, reserving the marinade with its vegetables and herbs. Pat the beef pieces thoroughly dry with kitchen paper, as dry meat browns and wet meat steams.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Fry the bacon lardons until golden, then lift out. Brown the beef in batches on all sides until deeply coloured, setting each batch aside. Do not crowd the pan.
  4. Lower the heat to medium. Add the reserved onion and carrot from the marinade and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and tomato purée and fry for a further 2 minutes.
  5. Return the beef and bacon to the pot. Pour in the reserved wine marinade and the chopped tomatoes. Add the orange peel, anchovy fillets, herbes de Provence, the thyme and bay from the marinade, and the salt. The liquid should nearly cover the meat; top up with a little water or stock if needed.
  6. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook very slowly, either over the lowest heat or in an oven at 150°C (130°C fan / 300°F), for about 3 hours, until the beef is meltingly tender. Stir in the olives for the final 30 minutes.
  7. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Ideally, cool and refrigerate overnight, then lift off any set fat and reheat gently to serve. Serve with wide pasta, boiled potatoes, polenta, or simply good bread.

Notes

Dried orange peel is a hallmark of the Provençal daube; if you cannot find it, pare wide strips of zest from an orange with a peeler, avoiding the white pith. A daube rewards patience at every stage: the overnight marinade, the careful browning, the long slow simmer, and ideally the overnight rest. Some Provençal cooks add a splash of brandy or a square of dark chocolate at the end for depth; both are optional refinements on an already profound dish.

The Gastrographer

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