Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2 (74 page)

TOP ROUND
,
tende de tranche
. Sometimes called inside round, this is a first-choice piece for braising whole because it is solid meat with no separations, and is not fibrous when cooked.

UNDERCUT CHUCK
,
basses côtes découvertes
. The continuation of the roast rib of beef section into the shoulder end, usually ribs 2 to 5, makes a choice and tender morsel. You will probably find this only at Jewish or European markets, although a supermarket boneless chuck pot roast can substitute for it.

SHOULDER-ARM POT ROAST
,
macreuse
. Again, this may not be available except at Jewish or foreign markets; it will usually take longer cooking than the two preceding cuts, but has excellent flavor.

BOTTOM ROUND OR SILVERSIDE
, and
EYE OF ROUND
,
gîte à la noix
and
rond de gîte à la noix
. These two cuts always look attractive, especially the eye of round, with its long, shapely form that resembles a tenderloin. We prefer the bottom round to the eye because it is less fibrous when cooked, but both are acceptable choices.

SIRLION TIP
or
KNUCKLE
,
tranche grasse
. This cut from the round has numerous muscle separations, and is sometimes called knuckle because it passes over the knee of the hind leg. It braises well, but needs firm tying to give it an attractive shape.

MIDDLE OF BRISKET
,
milieu de poitrine
. Although coarse-grained when cooked, brisket has excellent flavor; slice it on the bias like flank steak. A good butcher will bone and de-fat it for you; if it is a long, flat piece, roll and tie it for braising.

For 8 to 10 people

1)
Preparing the beef

A trimmed and boned 6-lb. piece of braising beef from preceding list (preferably one that can be tied into a cylindrical shape 10 to 12 inches long)

For optional larding of meat: a 4- by 6-inch slice of prosciutto or ready-to-cook ham slice about ¼ inch thick

Trim meat, if necessary, to make a fairly even cylinder or rectangle with no loose fat or gristly pieces. To
lard the meat, follow
illustrated directions
, using ham rather than the pork fat called for in the larding directions. Whether or not you have larded it, tie the beef, also as
illustrated
, to keep it in shape during cooking.

2)
Marinating the meat—at least 12 hours or for several days

NOTE
: You may omit this step and proceed directly to Step 3.

1 bottle (almost 4 cups) full, strong, young, red wine (Mâcon, Beaujolais, California Mountain Red)

½ cup red-wine vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

6 cloves unpeeled garlic, halved

2 medium-sized onions and 2 carrots, sliced

1 Tb coarse salt or table salt

The following herb bouquet, tied in washed cheesecloth: 2 imported bay leaves, 4 cloves or allspice berries, 6 peppercorns, ½ tsp each of dried fennel seeds, oregano, thyme, and marjoram

An enameled, glazed, or stainless bowl or casserole just large enough to hold meat comfortably

Mix the marinade ingredients in the bowl or casserole, add the beef and baste it. (Liquid should come at least halfway up.) Marinate, turning and basting meat several times a day, for at least 12 hours or for several days either at a temperature of 40 to 50 degrees or in the refrigerator. When you are ready for the next step, drain beef, and wipe thoroughly dry with paper towels. Strain marinade, reserving both liquid and vegetables for Step 5.

3)
Browning the beef and the braising ingredients

NOTE
: If you have not marinated the beef, add all the ingredients from Step 2, except the vinegar, to the ingredients here.

Either
4 Tb rendered fresh pork fat or goose fat;

Or
olive oil or cooking oil

6 ounces (¾ cup)
lardons
(1½-inch sticks of blanched bacon ¼ inch thick)

A heavy, covered casserole or roaster large enough to hold meat comfortably (or brown meat in a large frying pan and transfer to roaster afterwards)

For added flavor and body: 1 quart of sawed veal knuckle bones and/or beef soup bones; or a split and blanched calf’s foot

The drained marinade vegetables

The marinade liquid

A strip of fresh pork fat ⅛ inch thick and long and wide enough to cover top and sides of beef; or beef suet

White string

The marinade bouquet of herbs

Optional but desirable for the sauce: a 6-inch square of blanched pork rind (Volume I, page 401)

Cook the
lardons
slowly in the fat or oil in the casserole (or frying pan) until very lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve. Pour 4 to 5 Tb of fat out of the casserole and reserve for the
roux
, next step. Raise heat to moderately high and brown the well-dried beef on all sides and ends, lifting and turning it with the help of its trussing strings. (This will take 10 minutes or more; regulate heat so meat browns nicely but fat does not burn. Add more fat or oil if needed.) Remove beef and brown the optional bones or calf’s foot and the marinade vegetables for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring and tossing over high heat. Set cover askew on casserole, drain out cooking fat, and pour in marinade liquid. Stir with wooden spoon to dislodge all coagulated bits of brown flavor into liquid. Tie strip of fat about beef (see
illustrations
), push bones aside, and lay the beef, fat-covered side up, in casserole. Add the bouquet of herbs, the
lardons
, and the optional pork rind to the casserole, and set aside until you are ready to braise, Step 5.

4)
The brown roux to thicken the braising sauce

A heavy-bottomed saucepan in thick, cast aluminum or a heavy cast-iron frying pan, about 6 inches bottom diameter

The 4 Tb reserved fat from Step 3

⅓ cup flour (measure by scooping dry-measure cup into flour and sweeping off excess)

A wooden spoon

1½ cups beef stock (or bouillon) heated in a small saucepan

A wire whip

A ladle

(
NOTE
: You will have a better
roux
if you cook it separately rather than in the casserole after browning meat and bones.)

Be sure to pick a heavy pan; melt the fat in it over moderate heat, blend in the flour, and stir continuously for about 15 minutes until flour slowly turns a dark, nutty brown. (It must not blacken, burn, and turn bitter, but it must brown properly so as to give the right flavor and color to the sauce.) Remove from
heat, and when
roux
has stopped bubbling, blend in all the hot stock at once with wire whip. When perfectly smooth, ladle in some of the liquid from the casserole to thin the sauce, mix well, then stir all into the casserole, blending liquids thoroughly together.