Basic Boeuf à la Mode

Name: Basic Boeuf à la Mode
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 1 chuck roast (3 to 5 pounds [1.3 to 2.3 kg]) for pot roasting; 1 bottle full-bodied red wine (see for more about wines to cook with); 1 medium-size onion, peeled and quartered (for the meat marinade); 1 medium-size carrot, peeled and sliced (for the meat marinade), plus 4 medium-size carrots, peeled, cut into ⅛-inch-thick [3 mm] round slices (for cooking with the meat); 1 medium-size carrot, peeled and sliced (for the meat marinade), plus 4 medium-size carrots, peeled, cut into ⅛-inch-thick [3 mm] round slices (for cooking with the meat); ½ stalk celery, sliced (for the meat marinade); 3 cloves garlic, crushed (for the meat marinade), plus 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine and crushed to a paste (for the fatback marinade; optional); 3 cloves garlic, crushed (for the meat marinade), plus 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine and crushed to a paste (for the fatback marinade; optional); 3 cloves garlic, crushed (for the meat marinade), plus 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine and crushed to a paste (for the fatback marinade; optional); 3 cloves garlic, crushed (for the meat marinade), plus 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine and crushed to a paste (for the fatback marinade; optional); 1 medium-size bouquet garni; 12 ounces [340 g] fatback with rind, rind removed and reserved (optional); 2 tablespoons Cognac (for the fatback marinade; optional); salt; pepper; 5 tablespoons olive oil; 1 slice (2 ounces [5.5 g]) unsmoked cured raw ham such as jambon de Bayonne or prosciutto di Parma, cut into strips about 2 inches [5 cm] long and ⅛ inch [3 mm] wide; 1 slice (2 ounces [5.5 g]) unsmoked cured raw ham such as jambon de Bayonne or prosciutto di Parma, cut into strips about 2 inches [5 cm] long and ⅛ inch [3 mm] wide; 1 slice (2 ounces [5.5 g]) unsmoked cured raw ham such as jambon de Bayonne or prosciutto di Parma, cut into strips about 2 inches [5 cm] long and ⅛ inch [3 mm] wide; 1 pig’s foot, split lengthwise by the butcher, blanched; 1 cup [250 ml] concentrated beef broth (optional); 20 walnut-size onions, or 1 pint [335 g] (10- to 12-ounce [about 285 g] package) pearl onions, peeled; 20 walnut-size onions, or 1 pint [335 g] (10- to 12-ounce [about 285 g] package) pearl onions, peeled; 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Preparation info

Makes
6 to 8
Servings Depending on the Size of the Roast

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Glorious French Food

By James Peterson

Published 2002

About

Ingredients

1 chuck roast (3 to 5 pounds [1.3 to 2.3 kg]) for pot roasting
1

Europe
France
Main course
Gluten-free

Method

Put the meat in a nonaluminum bowl with the wine, the vegetables for the meat marinade, and the bouquet garni, and let marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours, or overnight.

Put the optional fatback in the freezer for about 30 minutes to partially freeze it and make it easier to slice. Cut it into ¼-inch by 6-inch [.5 by 15 cm] strips and, in a small mixing bowl, toss the strips with t