Pot-au-Feu (French Slow-Simmered Beef and Root Vegetable Broth)

Quick answer

Total time: 200 min
Level: Hard
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 9

About this dish

This Pot-au-Feu (French Slow-Simmered Beef and Root Vegetable Broth) recipe follows the actual preparation, main cooking method, and finish in order.

Place 800 g beef brisket in cold water and heat it gradually over medium heat. Once foam rises, blanch for only 2 to 3 minutes, then discard the first water to remove surface impurities. Add 1 onion, 2 celery stalks, 1 leek, the bay leaf, and the peppercorns. Keep the heat low enough that the broth only trembles gently, then simmer about 2 hours. Season near the end with the 2 teaspoons salt, adding it gradually and tasting the broth. Slice the beef thickly, arrange it with the vegetables, and serve the clear broth separately in bowls.

Ingredients (4 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
beef brisket	800	g
potatoes	300	g
carrots	250	g
leek	1	ea
onion	1	ea
celery	2	pcs
bay leaf	1	pcs
salt	2	tsp
peppercorn	1	tsp

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Control

Place 800 g beef brisket in cold water and heat it gradually over medium heat.

Once foam rises, blanch for only 2 to 3 minutes, then discard the first water to remove surface impurities.
2

Control

Rinse the pot, return the beef, and add enough fresh cold water to cover it well.

Bring it up over medium low heat, skimming foam before a full boil clouds the broth.
3

Control

Add 1 onion, 2 celery stalks, 1 leek, the bay leaf, and the peppercorns.

Keep the heat low enough that the broth only trembles gently, then simmer about 2 hours.
4

Prep

When the beef is tender enough to pierce with chopsticks or a skewer, add 300 g potatoes and 250 g carrots.

Do not raise the heat hard, or the vegetables may break and cloud the broth.
5

Control

After adding the vegetables, simmer gently for another 30 to 40 minutes.

The potatoes should keep their edges, and the carrots should feel tender when pressed without collapsing into the broth.
6

Finish

Season near the end with the 2 teaspoons salt, adding it gradually and tasting the broth.

Slice the beef thickly, arrange it with the vegetables, and serve the clear broth separately in bowls.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Pot-au-Feu uses a cold water start to ensure the beef and vegetable broth remains golden and clear.
Finish cue: The potatoes should keep their edges, and the carrots should feel tender when pressed without collapsing into the broth.
Avoid this: Do not raise the heat hard, or the vegetables may break and cloud the broth.