Boeuf En Ficelle
Boeuf en ficelle steams a whole filet mignon suspended by string over boiling beef broth with root vegetables. A classic French technique for rare, intensely beefy tenderloin.
YIELD
servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
50 minREADY
Boeuf en ficelle ("beef on a string") is one of the most elegant and unusual French cooking techniques. A whole beef tenderloin gets tied with kitchen string, then suspended from the handles of a stockpot above vigorously boiling broth so it steams rather than boils. The result is rare, impossibly tender meat with pure, concentrated beef flavor.
The broth below does double duty. Onions, carrots, celery, and turnips boil for 30 minutes first, building an aromatic steam bath that gently cooks the meat from all sides without submerging it. The steam penetrates more evenly than direct heat, producing edge-to-edge pink with no gray band of overcooked meat.
Timing is everything here. At 18-20 minutes of steaming, the internal temperature hits 120°F (49°C) for rare. A meat thermometer is not optional. Overcooking a whole filet mignon is an expensive mistake with no recovery.
Rest the meat for 5 minutes before slicing thin. The juices that collect on the platter go back over each portion. Serve with minced shallots and a mustard sauce or red pepper jelly.
Chef Tips
- Bring the tenderloin to room temperature before cooking. A cold center throws off the timing and gives you uneven doneness.
- Tie the meat securely in both directions. It hangs by these strings, and a loose knot means your tenderloin drops into the broth.
- Cover the pot tightly. Escaping steam means slower, less even cooking.
- Carve before removing the strings around the meat. The strings hold the shape so your slices stay neat and uniform.
Variations
- Herb-infused steam: Add thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns to the broth for a more aromatic steam.
- Horseradish cream: Serve with prepared horseradish folded into whipped cream as an alternative to mustard sauce.
Ingredients
Directions
Securely tie beef both lengthwise and crosswise with string.
If chilled, bring to room temperature before cooking.
Combine broth, onion, carrot, celery and turnip in large stockpot with side handles.
Boil vigorously 30 minutes.
Tie meat to handles, suspending as closely as possible to broth without actually touching.
Cover tightly and let steam until meat thermometer registers 120 Fahrenheit (rare), about 18 to 20 minutes.
Slip large fork under wrapping strings, then remove meat to platter.
Cut strings holding meat.
Let rest 5 minutes before carving; do not remove strings around meat until after it has been carved.
Slice thinly, allowing 2 or 3 slices per serving, or cut into 8 thicker slices.
Save juices to moisten each portion.
Reassemble slices, wrap with foil and keep warm but serve as soon as possible.
Garnish each serving with shallots and accompany with Sauce Moutarde-Batarde or red pepper jelly, or both.
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