Beef Bourguignon
Beef bourguignon is a beef stew braised in red wine and beef stock. This recipe is loaded with carrots, onions, garlic, pearl onions, mushrooms, and bacon.
Servings 8
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds chuck beef, stew meat cut into 1 inch cubes, salted overnight and patted dry
- 8 oz dry cured applewood smoked bacon
- 1 pound carrots peeled and cut diagonally into 1 inch pieces
- 2 medium yellow onions cut in half and sliced
- 1 pound white button or brown mushrooms
- 1 pound pearl onions fresh or frozen
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- ⅓ cup Cognac
- 1 bottle pinot noir (or other good dry red wine)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 3 Tbsp butter
Instructions
- NOTE: For especially tender and flavorful beef bites, generously salt all sides of the cubes of beef and set, covered, on a plate in the refrigerator overnight. Pat cubes dry just before browning in dutch oven.
- Prepare the pearl onions: Saute in a skillet with 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil. Allow onions to become soft and translucent on the inside and brown and fragrant on the outside. (About 10-15 minutes) Remove from skillet and allow to cool. Once cooled, pinch fresh onions to pop them out of their skins and set aside. (Frozen onions already have the skins removed)
- In a large dutch oven saute the bacon over medium heat in 1 Tbsp olive oil until browned but not too crispy. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Pat beef dry with a paper towel; sear in batches in the hot oil/bacon fat until browned on all sides. Remove to the plate with the bacon.
- In the dutch oven, sauté the carrots and sliced onions with remaining fat from meats until softened, (about 3 minutes). Drain off any excess fat. Add 4 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol.
- Return the bacon and beef back into the pot; season with ½ teaspoon coarse salt and ½ teaspoon ground pepper. Sprinkle with flour, toss well and cook for 4-5 minutes to brown.
- Add the pearl onions, wine and enough beef stock so that the meat is barely covered. Then add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer on the stove for about 5 minutes.Cover then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is falling apart.
- During the last 15 minutes of simmering time, prepare the mushrooms: Heat the remaining butter in a medium-sized skillet. When the foam subsides, add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and briefly cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), then add the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, while tossing mushrooms occasionally to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Add the garlic browned mushrooms to the pot. Let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to combine.
- Serve over mashed potatoes or French bread or simply on its own in a bowl alongside a crisp salad.