Bordelaise-style dishes originate from the Bordeaux region in France, which is renowned for its gastronomy and fine wines. Dishes that are cooked ‘ à la bordelaise’ typically use bone marrow, shallots and wine – usually red wine for red meat and white wine for white meat and fish. Bordelaise sauce is the classic French accompaniment for grilled or roasted beef.
This is a wonderful hearty dish, full of rich flavours, and it beautifully showcases the range of textures and depth of flavour of Wagyu beef. As well as using the ever-popular sirloin, this dish also uses brisket, a secondary forequarter cut taken from the belly behind the foreshanks. Brisket is well-marbled with fat and is, along with the oyster blade, one of the best cuts for long, slow braising. Although the preparation is simple, the brisket does need at least 24 hours marinating before braising, to allow the flavours to penetrate the meat.