Traditional Wild Boar Stew
Ingredients
- 1,000 gWild boar meat (cut into large cubes)
- 0.7 LRed wine (full-bodied)
- 133.3 gSmoked lardons
- 1.3 pcYellow onion (sliced)
- 2 pcCarrot (sliced)
- 2 pcGarlic (crushed)
- 2 tbspWheat flour
- 33.3 gUnsalted butter (cold)
- 13.3 gDark chocolate (chopped)
- 0.7 pcBouquet garni
- 1.3 pcClove
- 0.7 pinchGray sea salt
- 0.7 tspBlack peppercorns
- 33.3 mlCognac (for flambéing)
Method
Meat that falls apart with a fork, coated in a dark, velvety, and glossy sauce. The scent of reduced wine mingles with the woody notes of thyme and laurel.
- 1
Cut the wild boar into large 4cm cubes. In a large container, submerge the meat with the red wine, diced onions and carrots, crushed garlic, bouquet garni, and cloves. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
- 2
Drain and pat the meat dry. In a cast-iron pot, brown the smoked bacon bits. Remove the bacon, then brown the wild boar pieces on all sides in the hot fat. Pour in the cognac and flambé immediately off the heat to add aromatic power.
- 3
Sprinkle the flour over the meat. Stir for 2 minutes to cook the flour without burning it. Gradually pour in the filtered marinade while scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen all the cooking juices.
- 4
Return the bacon and marinade vegetables to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to minimum. Cover and simmer gently for 3 hours. The sauce should reduce and thicken to coat the back of a spoon.
- 5
At the end of cooking, stir in the dark chocolate and cold butter pieces. Mix gently: the chocolate will provide depth of color and intense shine to the sauce.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get this dish right?
- Don't skip the dark chocolate; it's an old chef's secret for a dark, glossy sauce without using blood.
- Pat your meat dry before searing: if it's wet, it will boil instead of browning.
How long does this dish keep?
Keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator. It's even better reheated the next day over very low heat.
