BEEF BOURGUIGNON
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Beef Stew
Cuisine: French
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • ½ tablespoon regular olive oil (not extra virgin)
  • ½ lb. bacon, diced
  • 2½ pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lb. carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
  • 2 yellow onions, sliced
  • 2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
  • ½ cup Cognac or brandy
  • 1 (750 ml.) bottle good dry red wine
  • 2 to 2½ cups beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 lb. frozen small whole onions
  • 1 lb. fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced
  • parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 250°F.
  2. 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 to a large plate.
  3. Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. 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.
  4. Toss the carrots, onions, ½ tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, let it cook for a couple minutes to burn off the alcohol.
  5. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the bottle of wine. Add enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a boil.
  6. Cover the pot with a lid and place it in the oven for about 1 hour to 1 and ¼ hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.
  7. Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork. Stir the flour mixture into the stew. Add the frozen onions.
  8. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter 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. Sprinkle with some fresh parsley (optional)
  9. Serve with toasted Country bread, French Baguette or homemade Dutch Oven Bread.
Notes
If you can't find frozen small whole onions, you can use fresh pearl onions. Start by cutting off the root end, but don't cut too much, just nip it off. The root end is the flat end just like any other onion. Put them in boiling water and let them boil for about 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately plunge them into an ice bath. Then, gentle squeeze the pointed end (opposite side of the root end) and the skin is going to come right off.
Recipe by Let's Cook Some Food at https://www.letscooksomefood.com/beef-bourguignon/