Slow Cooker Beef Daube with Orange

Slow cooker beef daube is an old provencal French beef stew that features hints of orange and thyme in a bold red wine sauce.

This is a dish that can sit in the slow cooker all day and be ready for you when you get home, and it gets even better with time so you can make it in advance too!

Simple Slow Cooker Classic French Beef Stew

Ain’t no finer winter warmer than a good beef stew and this one hails from the Provence region of France. Traditionally cooked in a terracotta pot called a daubière my version leans on the slow cooker.

France is often known as the home of lah-di-dah fancy food, but it has a wonderful portfolio of comfort food.

Whether it be Coq au vin, coq au vin blanc, chicken forestière or another beefy stew, Beef Bourguignon the French rock homely simple comfort food!

A Traditional Boeuf en Daube or sometimes called daube of beef recipe would have been cooked over several days. Allowing an overnight rest in between each stage to intensify the flavour.

It is definitely a dish that is awesome on the second day. So feel free to double the recipe or even cook it a day before you eat it and store in the fridge overnight.

The prunes and orange zest may seem like an odd addition but they are very traditional variations in parts of France and I love them.

The orange adds a citrus headiness that I also use in my crispy chilli beef. The prunes an almost malty sweetness that balances the tartness of the orange.

Frequently Asked Questions

What cut of beef should I use?

My recipe for beef daube calls for some stewing beef a term that generally means a fairly fatty cut of beef that does a lot of work.

My favourite cut of beef for a stew is shin of beef, it has a lot of connective tissue. When it is slow-cooked this breaks down it adds a body to the resulting sauce that cannot be replicated with another cut.

It is what I use in my traditional British Beef Stew along with so many other recipes, but I regularly make this recipe with beef cheek.

It’s a less popular but wonderful piece of meat if you can get your hands on it. You simply must check out my beer braised beef cheek recipe.

You could even make this with oxtail if you wanted, just treat it in a similar fashion to my rabo de toro recipe.

Does the size of slow cooker matter?

In my opinion yes! If you make this in a larger crockpot there is not enough “volume” to allow the meat to cook slowly and it leads to a tougher piece of meat.

I cook for two and use a 3.7 litre (4 quart) slow cooker.

Do I have to use prunes?

No, they can be omitted, but please do give them a try, they add a wonderful sweet roundness of flaovur to the dish.

Serving Suggestions

This slow cooker daube of beef recipe is pure comfort food and the sides should live up to that.

For me, that means a buttery mashed potato although the flavours are also great with celeriac mash.

You could even cross European borders and serve this very French beef stew with an Italian polenta, although I would omit the cheese.

If you wanted to go a little lighter then some steamed greens like broccoli or green beans make a great side dish.

Or maybe just go for a big old bowl and a nice crusty French baguette.

Finally, if you have any leftover gravy, do not throw it away! Freeze it and serve it with sausages and mash, it is awesome!

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• 3½-4 Litre Slow Cooker, I use a 3.7 litre (4 quart) one made by Crockpot.
• 30cm or 12″ frying pan.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Kitchen tongs.
• Slotted, stirring and serving spoons.
• Fine mesh sieve.
• Weighing scales and or measuring jug, cups and spoons.