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Jarret De Boeuf emerges from the pot as fall-apart tender beef shanks bathed in a deep, spiced sauce studded with carrots and tomatoes. This Chadian classic transforms an economical cut of meat through patient, slow braising, requiring no special ingredients beyond what appears in any Chadian kitchen. The long cooking time releases collagen from the bones, creating a silken sauce while cumin, coriander, paprika, and turmeric build complexity. The dish appears at celebrations and regular meals alike—it's humble enough for weeknight dinner yet impressive enough for special gatherings, where the shared pot and tender meat symbolize generosity and care.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the beef shanks and sear on all sides until well-browned. Remove the meat and set aside.
In the same pot, add the chopped onion and cook until translucent.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the sliced carrots, chopped tomatoes, and chopped hot peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes break down.
Stir in the ground cumin, ground paprika, ground coriander, ground turmeric, ground black pepper, and salt.
Add the beef or vegetable broth and stir well.
Return the browned beef shanks to the pot, ensuring they are covered by the liquid.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
Cover and simmer for about 2-3 hours, or until the meat is tender and falls off the bone.
Once the meat is tender, remove the beef shanks from the pot.
Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.
Jarret De Boeuf is beef shanks braised for hours in a deeply spiced sauce with vegetables until the meat falls from the bone. The collagen in the bones creates a silken sauce while the beef itself becomes impossibly tender. It's rustic, nourishing, and intensely flavorful.
Jarret De Boeuf comes from Chad, where beef is central to the diet and slow-braising is the traditional way to cook tough cuts. The technique appears throughout West and Central Africa, adapted with local spices and what's available each season.
Beef shanks are seared then braised with onion, garlic, carrots, and tomatoes. Cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, and hot peppers season the sauce. Broth keeps everything moist as the long cooking draws out meat and bone flavors. The result is deeply savory and complex.
Don't rush the searing step—develop a good crust on the beef to build flavor foundation. Use bone-in shanks for extra collagen and gelatin that thickens and enriches the sauce. Cook low and slow, at least 2-3 hours until the meat falls off the bone. The longer you cook, the better.
Serve jarret de boeuf over white or brown rice, with couscous, or alongside warm crusty bread for soaking up the sauce. Some serve it with fufu or cassava. The starch grounds the rich, intensely flavored meat and sauce, making a complete and satisfying meal.