Slow Cooker Beef Daube with Polenta Crostini

Name: Slow Cooker Beef Daube with Polenta Crostini
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 3 lb (1360 g) beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes, patted dry; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt; ¾ tsp (1½ g) freshly ground black pepper; 2 cup (480 ml) dry red wine (Côtes du Rhône or similar); 1 cup (240 ml) beef stock or broth; 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste; 1½ tsp (3 g) Herbes de Provence; orange zest (1 strip, about 3 inches / 8 cm long), 1 strip removed with a vegetable peeler, white pith removed; 4 clove (20 g) garlic cloves, smashed; 1 lb (450 g) pearl onions, peeled, peeled (blanch 2 min if fresh, or thaw if frozen); 10 oz (280 g) cremini mushrooms, halved, halved; ¾ cup (110 g) Niçoise olives, pitted, pitted; 1 cup (200 g) polenta (cornmeal); 4 cup (960 ml) chicken stock or broth; ¾ tsp (4 g) kosher salt; 3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter, cold; ½ cup (50 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated, finely grated; 4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil; 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, finely chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A refined French-inspired braised beef daube made effortlessly in the slow cooker, served on crispy golden polenta crostini. Tender beef chunks mingle with pearl onions, mushrooms, and Niçoise olives in a silky red wine reduction perfumed with Herbes de Provence and a strip of orange zest. The creamy polenta base is sliced, pan-fried until golden, and topped with the rich daube for an elegant yet casual main course.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 45 min
Wait: 8 hr
Total: 9 hr 10 min
Makes: 6 servings (18–24 crostini with 1 cup daube per serving)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the daube
3 lb (1360 g) beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes, patted dry
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt
¾ tsp (1.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
2 cup (480 ml) dry red wine (Côtes du Rhône or similar)
1 cup (240 ml) beef stock or broth
2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
1½ tsp (3 g) Herbes de Provence
orange zest (1 strip, about 3 inches / 8 cm long), 1 strip removed with a vegetable peeler, white pith removed
4 clove (20 g) garlic cloves, smashed
1 lb (450 g) pearl onions, peeled, peeled (blanch 2 min if fresh, or thaw if frozen)
10 oz (280 g) cremini mushrooms, halved, halved
¾ cup (110 g) Niçoise olives, pitted, pitted
For the polenta
1 cup (200 g) polenta (cornmeal)
4 cup (960 ml) chicken stock or broth
¾ tsp (4 g) kosher salt
3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter, cold
½ cup (50 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated, finely grated
For frying crostini
4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil
For garnish
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, finely chopped (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or 6-quart slow cooker
9×13-inch (23×33 cm) shallow baking dish or loaf pan for polenta
Large cast-iron or non-stick skillet (12 inches / 30 cm)
Wooden spoon
Fine mesh strainer
Chef's knife

Steps

Before you start

Pat beef dry with paper towels for better browning
Prepare an 8-hour window for slow cooking (daube cooks 7–8 hours on low)
Make or have polenta chilling for at least 4 hours before frying
Measure wine and aromatics ahead so assembly is quick

1
Brown the beef
- Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
- Working in two batches so meat isn't crowded, brown the beef chunks in 3 tbsp olive oil, about 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply golden.
- Season with kosher salt and black pepper as you go.
- Transfer browned beef to a plate.
- Do not wash the pot—the browned bits are flavorful.
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Ready when: Beef is deeply golden brown on all sides
Tip: Do not crowd the pan; brown in two batches for better crust. Dry beef beforehand prevents steaming.
2
Build the braising liquid
- Pour the red wine into the same pot, scraping up all browned bits with a wooden spoon.
- Add beef stock, tomato paste, Herbes de Provence, orange zest strip, and smashed garlic.
- Stir until tomato paste is fully dissolved.
- The liquid should smell fragrant and rich.
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Ready when: Tomato paste is fully dissolved, liquid is smooth
Tip: Deglazing with wine releases all the fond from the bottom—this is essential for deep flavor.
3
Transfer to slow cooker and begin braiseOven 325°F / 165°C
- Return all browned beef and any juices to the pot (or transfer everything to a 6-quart slow cooker).
- The beef should be barely submerged in liquid.
- Cover and set the slow cooker to low heat, or if using a Dutch oven, cover and place in a 325°F (163°C) oven for the same time.
- The daube will cook for 7–8 hours.
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Ready when: Beef is fork-tender and falling apart slightly
Tip: Low and slow is key; high heat will make the beef tough. Do not stir constantly; just check once or twice.
4
Cook the polenta base
- About 4 hours before serving, bring 4 cups chicken stock to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add 0.75 tsp salt.
- Whisk in 1 cup polenta cornmeal very slowly in a thin stream, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently (every 2–3 minutes), for 25–30 minutes, until the polenta is thick, creamy, and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- The texture should look like thick mashed potatoes.
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Ready when: Polenta is creamy and thick, pulling away from pan sides
Tip: Stir frequently to prevent lumps and scorching on the bottom. Use a heat-diffuser if your stove runs hot.
5
Finish the polenta
- Stir in cold butter and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano into the cooked polenta until fully incorporated and creamy.
- Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Pour the polenta into a buttered 9×13-inch baking dish, spread it evenly to about ¾ inch thick, and let it cool at room temperature for 15 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) until completely firm and set.
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Ready when: Polenta is firm to the touch and holds shape when cut
Tip: Make polenta at least 4 hours ahead, or the day before. Firm polenta slices without crumbling.
6
Add vegetables to daube
- About 30 minutes before serving, stir pearl onions and mushrooms into the slow cooker with the beef.
- Add the Niçoise olives.
- If the cooking liquid is very thin, raise heat to high for the last 30 minutes to reduce slightly and thicken.
- The daube is ready when it smells rich, meaty, and fragrant, and the vegetables are tender.
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Ready when: Pearls onions are tender, mushrooms are soft, liquid has thickened slightly
Tip: Do not add vegetables too early or they will fall apart. Wait until near the end of cooking.
7
Cut and fry polenta crostini
- Remove the chilled polenta from the refrigerator.
- Using a sharp knife, cut it into rectangles about 2 inches × 3 inches (5 cm × 8 cm) or triangles about 3 inches on a side.
- Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a large cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Working in batches, fry the polenta pieces 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy on both sides.
- Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.
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Ready when: Polenta is golden brown and crispy on both sides
Tip: Don't overcrowd the pan; fry in batches for even browning. Let oil get hot enough or the polenta will absorb grease instead of crisping.
8
Taste and finish daube
- Taste the braising liquid and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, simmer uncovered on high for another 5–10 minutes.
- Remove the orange zest strip.
- The daube should taste deep, savory, with bright notes from the wine and a gentle herb background.
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Ready when: Sauce coats a spoon and tastes balanced
Tip: Taste before serving; a pinch more salt or pepper can lift the whole dish.
9
Assemble and serve
- Place 3–4 warm polenta crostini on each serving plate.
- Ladle 1 to 1.25 cups of the beef daube (beef, vegetables, and sauce) over and around the crostini.
- Garnish with fresh flat-leaf parsley if desired.
- Serve immediately while the crostini are still warm and the daube is hot.
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Ready when: Plates are warm, daube is steaming, crostini are golden
Tip: If daube or polenta cools, gently reheat the daube on the stovetop and re-crisp crostini in a hot skillet for 1 minute per side.

Good to know

Tips

Make the polenta ahead: firm, cold polenta fries much better than warm polenta and holds its shape.
For deeper beef flavor, use high-quality chuck with good marbling, or substitute half chuck and half beef shin or short rib.
Orange zest adds a subtle brightness to the daube without making it taste citrusy—do not skip it, and do not substitute with juice.
If your slow cooker runs hot, check the daube after 6 hours; some models cook faster than others.

Make ahead

Prepare the polenta 1–2 days ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Make the daube up to 2 days ahead; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on low heat on the stovetop. Fry polenta crostini up to 4 hours ahead and store uncovered at room temperature; reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 minutes if needed.

Storage & reheating

Daube keeps 3–4 days refrigerated in a sealed container and freezes well for up to 3 months (freeze without crostini). Polenta keeps 4–5 days refrigerated; reheat fried crostini in a 350°F oven. Unfried cold polenta can be reheated in a covered saucepan with a splash of broth over medium heat, stirring often.

Substitutions

dry red wine (Côtes du Rhône or similar) → dry white wine or additional beef stock with 2 tbsp red wine vinegar. White wine makes a lighter daube; the vinegar preserves acidity. The flavor will be less rich but still good.
Herbes de Provence → 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp dried thyme, ½ tsp dried oregano, and ¼ tsp fennel seeds. This blend mimics Herbes de Provence. Crush fennel slightly before adding.
pearl onions, peeled → small shallots, halved, or quartered small yellow onions. Shallots and onions add a slightly sweeter note. Adjust cooking time slightly if using larger pieces.
Niçoise olives, pitted → kalamata olives or Castelvetrano olives, pitted. Kalamata adds more tannins and depth; Castelvetrano is buttery and mild. Both work beautifully.