Beef Cooked in French Fashion

Ingredients

• 2.8 kg (approx. 3 seers) Beef (Use a single braising joint such as topside, brisket, or silverside. One seer is approximately 0.93 kg.)
• 0.47 kg (approx. half a seer) Fat bacon (Cut into thin strips for larding. Streaky bacon works well.)
• 2 teaspoons Ground black pepper (For seasoning the bacon strips before inserting into the beef.)
• 4 tablespoons, finely chopped Fresh parsley (For seasoning the bacon strips before inserting into the beef.)
• 500 g Veal bones (Ask your butcher. These form the base of the pan and add body and gelatin to the cooking liquid.)
• 2 tablespoons Rum (Poured slowly over the beef to penetrate and flavour the meat.)
• 1 slice Thin slice of bacon (Laid on top of the beef joint during cooking.)
• 3 medium, peeled and roughly chopped Carrots (Added to the pan around the beef.)
• 1 large, peeled and halved Onion (Added to the pan around the beef.)
• 0.5 medium, peeled and roughly chopped Turnip (Added to the pan around the beef.)
• 1 head, stalks separated and roughly chopped Celery (Added to the pan around the beef.)
• 1 bunch Bunch of sweet herbs (Tie into a muslin bag or use a piece of cheesecloth. Sweet herbs typically include thyme, bay leaf, and marjoram.)
• 1 teaspoon Peppercorns (Added whole to the cooking liquid.)
• 1 cup (approx. 240 ml) Good gravy (Use a rich beef or veal stock if a pre-made good gravy is unavailable. This forms the braising liquid.)

Instructions

1. 1Place the fat bacon on a chopping board and cut it into thin strips, roughly 1 cm wide and 5–6 cm long. In a small bowl, combine the ground black pepper and finely chopped parsley. Roll each bacon strip individually through this seasoning mixture so each strip is well coated on all sides. Set the seasoned strips aside on a plate.
2. 2Using a larding needle or a thin sharp knife, make deep incisions all over the beef joint. Insert one seasoned bacon strip into each incision, pushing it in so that it is mostly hidden inside the meat. Continue until the surface of the beef is thoroughly covered and the strips are distributed evenly throughout the joint. The bacon will flavour and moisten the beef from the inside as it cooks.
3. 3Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F / Gas Mark 2) — this is a very low, slow heat. Take a heavy-based casserole dish or a deep roasting pan with a tight-fitting lid. Arrange the veal bones in a single layer at the bottom of the pan. They will act as a natural rack, preventing the beef from sitting directly in the liquid and allowing heat to circulate evenly.
4. 4Using kitchen twine, tie the larded beef joint firmly at two or three intervals around its circumference. This helps the joint hold its shape during the long cooking time. Place the tied beef joint on top of the veal bones in the prepared pan.
5. 5Measure out two tablespoons of rum. Slowly and carefully pour the rum directly over the top of the beef joint, moving in a slow circular motion so the liquid can soak into the meat and the incisions where the bacon strips were inserted. Take your time with this step — the goal is for the rum to penetrate into the beef rather than simply running off the surface.
6. 6Lay the single thin slice of bacon over the top of the beef joint. Peel and roughly chop the carrots, peel and halve the onion, peel and roughly chop the half turnip, and separate and roughly chop the head of celery into large pieces. Tuck all the vegetables around the sides of the beef joint in the pan.
7. 7Tie the bunch of sweet herbs securely inside a small piece of muslin cloth or cheesecloth to create a herb bag (bouquet garni). This makes it easy to remove later. Nestle the herb bag among the vegetables in the pan. Scatter the peppercorns over the contents of the pan. Finally, pour the cupful of good gravy evenly over everything in the pan.
8. 8Place the lid firmly on the casserole dish or roasting pan. To ensure a very tight seal — which is important for a slow braise — you may press a sheet of foil over the top of the pan before placing the lid on. This traps moisture and flavour inside the pan throughout the long cooking time.
9. 9Place the sealed pan in the preheated oven at 150°C (300°F / Gas Mark 2). Bake slowly for four hours. Do not open the lid during cooking — the steam and sealed environment are essential to the braising process. The beef is ready when it is very tender and can be pierced easily with a skewer or knife.
10. 10Remove the pan from the oven. Carefully take off the lid, remove the herb bag and discard it, and remove the kitchen twine from the beef joint. Allow the beef to cool completely in its cooking liquid — this is best done at room temperature first, then transferred to the refrigerator. As it cools, the cooking liquid will set into a natural jelly from the veal bones. Once fully cold, transfer the beef to a serving platter. Spoon the set jelly from the pan around and over the beef as a garnish. Arrange the braised vegetables (carrots, onion, turnip, and celery) around the beef on the platter. Slice the beef and serve cold.