This classic French dish is a meat stew slowly simmered in red wine…ideally Burgundy, Pinot Noir or a Gamay. Beef Bourguignon originates from provincial Burgundy, where the prized Charolais cattle famously make excellent beef. The Burgundy region is also well known for exceptional wine, so naturally the region’s signature dish is a combination of the two. Beef Bourguignon is about the layering of flavors. Start with cooking bacon, then sear the beef in the bacon fat. Add your vegetables and deglaze the pan with cognac. Add the wine and simmer for hours. Finally, add the sautéed mushrooms and pearl onions. The end result is a dish that’s rich, complex and intensely flavorful. As with all beef stews, this one is best made a day or two ahead of serving.
Beef Bourguignon
6 servings
1 tablespoon good olive oil
8 ounces dry cured center cut applewood smoked bacon, diced
2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes 1/4 cup flour
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks (or more)
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1/2 cup Cognac
1 bottle good dry red wine such as Burgundy or Pinot Noir
1 can (2 cups) beef broth (or until the beef is almost covered)
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 lb frozen pearl onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced
For serving:
Serve on mashed potatoes.
OR
Sour Dough, toasted or grilled and rubbed with garlic clove
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.
Dry the beef cubes with paper towels add salt and pepper to the flour and lightly coat the meat. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.
Toss the carrots, and onions, lightly salt and pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. ( you may need to add a bit of olive oil if there was not enough fat rendered. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. (the flames can get high, be careful)
Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.
Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork to make a paste. (I added a tablespoon of broth to the paste ). Stir into the stew.
In a sauce saute pan, add 2 Tablespoons of butter, onions and mushrooms saute for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.
Serve on mashed potatoes.
OR
To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven. Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut clove of garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley.
Adapted from: Ina Garten
