Pot-au-Feu

Name: Pot-au-Feu
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 210 min
Total time: 240 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1kg beef short ribs; 500g beef chuck; 2 marrow bones; 4 leeks, trimmed and halved; 4 carrots, peeled and halved; 4 turnips, peeled and quartered; 4 potatoes, peeled and halved; 1 celery root, peeled and quartered; 1 onion studded with 4 cloves; Bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, parsley stems); Coarse salt, black peppercorns

Pot-au-Feu (POH-toh-FUH)

French Boiled Dinner

⏱ Prep Time 4 hours

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 473 kcal

The grand ancestor of French home cooking — beef and marrow bones simmered for hours with root vegetables, leeks, and herbs, yielding a crystal-clear consommé and fork-tender meat.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 40.0g

Carbs 22.0g

Fat 25.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

dairy-free gluten-free nut-free

Equipment Needed

very large stockpot ladle fine skimmer sharp knife

Presentation Guide

Vessel: deep platter for meat, tureen for broth

Garnishes: coarse salt, cornichons, Dijon mustard

Accompaniments: toasted bread, horseradish cream

Ingredients

1kg beef short ribs
500g beef chuck
2 marrow bones
4 leeks, trimmed and halved
4 carrots, peeled and halved
4 turnips, peeled and quartered
4 potatoes, peeled and halved
1 celery root, peeled and quartered
1 onion studded with 4 cloves
Bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, parsley stems)
Coarse salt, black peppercorns

Instructions

1
Place beef and marrow bones in a very large pot. Cover with cold water. Bring slowly to a simmer, skimming scum constantly.
2
Add the clove-studded onion, bouquet garni, peppercorns, and coarse salt. Simmer very gently (barely bubbling) for 2.5 hours.
3
Add carrots, turnips, celery root, and leeks. Continue simmering 45 min until vegetables are tender.
4
Add potatoes in the last 25 min.
5
Remove meat and vegetables to a warm platter. Strain the broth through a fine sieve.
6
Serve in two courses: first the clear broth in bowls with toast, then the sliced meat surrounded by vegetables with coarse salt, cornichons, and mustard.

💡

Did You Know?

King Henry IV of France declared that every family should have a "poule au pot" (chicken in the pot) every Sunday — pot-au-feu is the beef version of that democratic ideal.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

very large stockpot
ladle
fine skimmer
sharp knife

Garnishing

coarse salt, cornichons, Dijon mustard

Accompaniments

toasted bread, horseradish cream

The Story Behind Pot-au-Feu

Pot-au-feu is considered the foundational dish of French cuisine, dating to medieval times. It is served in two courses — first the broth, then the meat and vegetables — and represents the French ideal of extracting maximum flavour from simple ingredients through patient cooking.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed sunday family lunch 📜 Origins: Medieval France

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