Beef Bourguignon

 

Prep 30 min.

Ready 2 hr.

Serves 6

I have made Beef Bourguignon (Boeuf Bourguignon in French) three times since September – twice on the stove and once in the oven. The last time on the stove, which I think is just a little bit easier, I made a triple recipe for a get-together. I was not sure if my large Dutch oven was going to handle it, but it was the perfect size. The recipe is based on Julia Child’s version. (I’m not sure if Julia would be as impressed with my ability as my guests were). Beef Bourguignon is an awesome meal for colder weather and always tastes better the following days after it has been made. The hardest part, I found, was trying to find the pearl onions without going to a mega grocer. I made three stops before finding them in a medium-sized grocery store. The small stores did not have them. I put the Beef Bourguignon over mashed potatoes and served it in bowls. It takes a little time to prepare, but it is worth it! 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 6 ounces bacon, roughly chopped 

• 3 pounds chuck steak cut into 2-inch chunks

• 4 large carrots sliced 1/2-inch thick

• 2 large white onions, diced

• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt 

• 2 tablespoons flour

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 12-15 small pearl onions (I used multi-colored)

• 3 cups red wine (I used inexpensive Chianti)

• 3-4 cups beef stock 

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 beef bouillon cube

• 6 sprigs fresh thyme

• 6 sprigs fresh parsley

• 3 bay leaves

• 1 pound fresh small white or brown mushrooms, sliced (I used brown)

• 2 tablespoons butter

Cooking Directions (stove top)

1. In a medium to large Dutch oven add 2 tsp. oil and cook the bacon over medium heat until browned and somewhat crispy (about 6-8 min.). Your kitchen will start to smell awesome! Transfer the bacon to another bowl and set aside.

2. Pat dry the cut beef with paper towel, sprinkle it with salt and fresh ground pepper.  Add the beef to the remaining bacon grease and oil and cook to brown all sides of the beef. This will take 5-8 minutes over medium heat. If you have a small Dutch oven, you may have to do a couple batches of searing. Add the seared beef to the bowl with the bacon and set aside.

3. With kitchen string, tie together the fresh herbs and bay leaves and wrap together creating a bouquet garni (fancy French word for tied-together herbs). 

4. In the remaining oil in the pot, sauté the carrots, sliced onion and garlic until softened (about 3-5 min).  Add the bacon and beef back to the pot. Add the wine and enough beef stock to slightly cover the beef. Add the tomato paste, bouillon, pearl onions and bouquet garni to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hrs.

5. In the last 1/2 hour of cooking, sauté the mushrooms in a pan with butter and add to pot. 

When complete, serve in bowls and garnish with chopped parsley (which was, believe it or not, still fresh outside in my garden) and serve over mashed potatoes.