Boeuf à la mode facts for kids
Beef à la mode (pronounced "boof ah lah mohd") is a classic French dish. It's made by slowly cooking a large piece of beef until it's super tender. This cooking method is called braising. The beef cooks in a flavorful liquid, usually with vegetables like carrots and onions.
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How is Beef à la Mode Made?
To make this tasty dish, chefs often choose a cut of beef from the back part of the animal. In older recipes, cooks would sometimes add small strips of fat, called lardons, into the meat. This helps keep the beef moist and adds flavor.
First, the beef is often soaked in wine for a while. This process is called marinating. It helps to make the meat even more tender and adds a rich taste.
Next, the beef is quickly cooked in a hot pan with a little fat. This step is called browning. It gives the meat a nice brown crust and locks in its juices. After browning, the beef is placed in a pot with a special cooking liquid. This liquid is usually a mix of beef stock (a flavorful broth) and red or white wine.
Key Ingredients for Braising
Along with the beef and liquid, many vegetables and herbs are added. These include:
Some recipes even add a little brandy or other spirits for extra flavor. A secret ingredient in many traditional French recipes is a boned calf's foot. This might sound strange, but it's added because it contains natural gelatin. As the dish cooks, the gelatin melts and helps to thicken the sauce, making it rich and glossy.
Serving Beef à la Mode
Once the beef is perfectly cooked and tender, it's taken out of the pot to rest. Meanwhile, the cooking liquid is strained to remove the cooked vegetables and herbs. This liquid is then simmered until it thickens into a delicious sauce.
The beef is sliced and served with this amazing sauce. There are different ways to serve the vegetables:
- Simple style: Sometimes, the vegetables that cooked with the meat are served alongside the beef. This is often called "housewife style."
- Fancy style: For a more elegant meal, the cooked vegetables are removed. Freshly cooked carrots and onions are then added to the plate as a garnish. This is known as "classy style."
The amount of wine and stock used can change from recipe to recipe. Some recipes use mostly stock, while others use more wine. There was even an American recipe from 1896 that used only water!
History of Beef à la Mode
In English, this dish was once called both "beef à la mode" and "à la mode beef." The word "à la mode" means "in fashion" or "in the style of" in French. Today, in France, it's often simply called boeuf mode. It has been a popular dish for centuries, known for its rich flavors and tender meat.
See also
In Spanish: Boeuf à la mode para niños
