Equipment
Ingredients
Braised Beef
- 800 g beef chuck roast, cut into 4-5cm cubes
- salt
- black pepper
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 30 g tomato paste
- 250 ml dry red wine
- 500 ml beef stock
- 4 fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Comté Macaroni
- 300 g elbow macaroni
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 50 g all-purpose flour
- 600 ml whole milk, warmed
- 200 g comté cheese, grated
- 10 g dijon mustard
- ground nutmeg
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1312 kcal
- Protein
- 81 g
- Carbohydrates
- 86 g
- Fat
- 62 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 13 g
- Sodium
- 1736 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 42 mg
- Potassium
- 1820 mg
- Calcium
- 708 mg
- Iron
- 9.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 77 mg
- Phosphorus
- 336 mg
- Zinc
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 392 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 9 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.9 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 9 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.91 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.70 mg
- Niacin
- 6.2 mg
- Folate
- 236 mcg
- Water
- 267 g
- Alcohol
- 6 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 160°C/320°F. Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in batches until deeply browned on all sides, about 8-10 minutes total. Remove beef and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium. Add onions, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for 3 minutes to reduce slightly.
Return the beef and any resting juices to the pot. Add beef stock, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid, and transfer to the preheated oven (160°C/320°F). Braise for 2.5 to 3 hours until the beef is very tender.
When the beef has 30 minutes left, increase oven temperature to 200°C/400°F (do this only if your pot can handle the heat change, otherwise remove beef to rest). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook macaroni 2 minutes less than package directions (al dente). Drain.
In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to form a roux, ensuring it doesn't burn. Gradually whisk in warmed milk until smooth. Simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.
Remove sauce from heat. Stir in 150g of the grated Comté, Dijon mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until cheese melts. Fold in the cooked macaroni.
Transfer the cheesy pasta to a baking dish. Top with the remaining 50g of Comté. Bake at 200°C/400°F for 15-20 minutes until bubbling and golden brown. Serve hot alongside the braised beef.
Chef's Notes
- Choose a Comté cheese aged 12-18 months for the best balance of meltability and nutty flavor. Younger cheese is too mild; very old cheese may split.
- For the beef, 'Chuck' is the gold standard for braising due to its fat and collagen content. Lean cuts like round will dry out.
- The macaroni is cooked under al dente because it absorbs moisture from the sauce while baking. Fully cooking it in water first will result in mushy pasta.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store beef and macaroni in separate airtight containers to maintain texture.
Freezer: 2 months — The beef freezes excellently. The macaroni can be frozen but texture may become grainy upon reheating.
Reheating: Reheat beef gently in a pot with a splash of water. Reheat macaroni in the oven covered with foil at 160°C/320°F.
Troubleshooting
Beef is still tough after 3 hours
Cause: The cut of beef had particularly dense connective tissue or oven temperature runs low
Fix: Add a splash more liquid if dry, cover tightly, and continue braising in 30-minute increments until tender
Prevention: Ensure pot lid is tight-fitting and verify oven temperature
Cultural Context
This dish marries the rustic French technique of 'Daube de Bœuf' (Provençal beef stew) with 'Gratin de Coquillettes', a beloved French childhood staple often served in bistros. The use of Comté, an Alpine cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk in the Franche-Comté region, elevates the pasta from a simple side to a gastronomic delight.
