Description
Beef Bourguignon the simpler way - chuck roast browned in bacon fat and braised for 3 hours in red wine and stock with onion, carrot and herbs, finished with pearl onions and mushrooms.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 8 ounces thick-cut bacon, sliced thin
- 4 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch cubes
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 cups chicken stock (homemade is best, or water)
- 2 cups red wine (Burgundy or Pinot Noir; a Cotes du Rhone is a good substitute)
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 sprigs thyme and parsley, tied together into a bouquet garni
- 1 large dried mushroom (optional)
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Brown the bacon: Put the bacon and oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the bacon is well browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Move the bacon to a large bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.
- Sear the beef: Sprinkle the beef with 2 teaspoons salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and add half the beef. Sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until well browned, then move it to the bowl with the bacon. Repeat with the rest of the beef. If the browned bits on the bottom of the pot start to burn, turn the heat down to medium.
- Saute the vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium. Pour off or add oil so there are 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot. Add the onion, carrot and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and saute until softened and starting to brown, 5 to 10 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the tomato paste, sprinkle in the flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until the flour no longer looks dry.
- Braise: Set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 325°F. Add the stock, wine, bay leaf, herb bundle and dried mushroom to the pot, scraping the bottom. Add the beef, bacon and their juices, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, move to the oven, and bake for 3 hours.
- Season and serve: Discard the bay leaf, herbs and dried mushroom. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir in the steam-sauteed pearl onions and mushrooms, and serve.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
Make ahead: The stew is even better the next day. Cool it uncovered to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 4 days. Bring back to a simmer over medium-high heat, check the seasoning, and add the steam-sauteed pearl onions and mushrooms just before serving.
Don't crowd the pan when browning the beef, or it will steam instead of brown. I brown half in the Dutch oven and half in a 12 inch frying pan, then deglaze the frying pan with the stock and add it to the pot.
Strain and degrease: For the best version, move the meat to a platter, strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer, and spoon off the fat before serving.
I use an inexpensive Pinot Noir in the pot, and save the good Burgundy for the table.
Serve with mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes or noodles.
Makes about 5 quarts, and leftovers are great.
Inspired by Julia Child's The Way to Cook and Ginette Mathiot's I Know How to Cook.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes