Boeuf Bourguignon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a very rich beef stew that does not include the use of tomato and peppers. It is intense with flavor. The beef is cooked slowly in a stew of red wine, beef broth and herbs for 2 hours. It is afterwards garnished with pearl onions, bacon and sauteed mushrooms. If you have a weekend day to yourself, this is the perfect treat for you and your family. It pairs well with some boiled potato, rice, couscous or other sides you love. This stew is all about the red wine so be sure you get a good bottle of red wine which pairs well with beef.

 

 

 

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

Recipe can be doubled or halved

(1) 900 Grams Beef (Stew Chopped)

(2) 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

(3) 1 Large Onion

(4) Carrots (About a Cup)

(5) 3 Tablespoons Flour

(6) 500 ml Red Wine

(7) 3 Cups Beef Broth

(8) 3 Cloves Garlic

(9) I bouquet garni (A Bundle of Herbs: Thyme, Rosemary, Bay Leaf and Parsley tied together)

(10) 1 Cup Pearl Onions

(11) 3 Slices of Bacon

(12) 150 Grams White Button Mushrooms

(13) Salt and Pepper to Taste

Quick Note: You will need a heavy bottomed pot for this recipe. The pot should be oven-safe. I prefer to make use of a Dutch Oven as the heavy lid seals in the steam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROCEDURE:

(1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

(2) Heat oil in pot and brown beef on each side. Do not overcrowd oil with the beef. This should be done in batches so as to ensure the beef browns properly. Try not to move the beef around when browning. Beef will easily lift off pan when it is ready to be turn. Each side takes about 4 – 5 minutes to brown. Set browned beef aside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3) While meat is browning, chop onions, carrots and garlic roughly and in large chunks. Do not bother being fancy here as the stew will be strained when ready.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(4) In the same pot with the leftover oil and brown bits, put in the chopped carrots, onions and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes, until lightly tender. If there is not enough oil in the pot, add 1 tablespoon more of oil before sauteing vegetables.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(5) Add flour and cook stirring for about 2 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(6) Add the red wine and beef broth. Next, add the bouquet garni, and return the meat to the pot. Do not add more salt as stews cook with red wine get salty very easily. In addition, you will be adding some bacon later on which is going to be salty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(7) Allow stew to come back to a boil and then transfer the stew to the preheated oven. Cook for 2 hours in oven.

(8) Meanwhile, prepare the mushrooms, pearl onions and bacon. Cut bacon into lardons, remove stumps from mushrooms and peel pearl onions. Pearl onions are easier to peel after been blanched in hot water for about 1 minute.  Render bacon lardons until crispy. Take out bacon. Next, Saute mushrooms in bacon fat until brown. Take out mushrooms and saute pearl onions in leftover fat. Place all of these in a bowl and set aside until the meat is ready.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(8) After 2 hours, Take the stew out of the oven, take out the meat with tongs and strain the liquid to remove vegetables and bouquet garni.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(9) Place stew in the pot, return meat to pot, add garnish and cook for about 15 more minutes on stove top. This will thicken liquid, allow flavors to blend and cook pearl onions.

This stew pairs well with some herb and cheese potatoes (recipe soon). This stew is best the day after it was cooked as by that time, all the flavors would have mingled together and developed. This stew is a must try.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you love boeuf bourguignon, you will love coq au vin.