Beef Bourguignon

★★★★☆

Prep: 30 mins Cook: 2.5 hours + overnight Serves: 6-8 Source: George Campbell

1 Tbsp good olive oil (14.8 ml)
8 oz dry cured center cut applewood smoked bacon, diced (227 g)
2.5-3.5 lbs chuck beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 lb carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks (454 g)
2 yellow onions, sliced (not diced)
3 tsp chopped garlic (from about 5 cloves) (14.8 ml)
1/2 cup Cognac/Armagnac (can substitute Brandy but Cognac is the key) (118 ml)
1 (750 ml) bottle good dry wine, such as Côte du Rhône or Pinot Noir
1 can (2 cups) beef broth
1 Tbsp tomato paste (14.8 ml)
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 heaping tsp dried) (9.9 ml)
4 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature, divided (59.1 ml)
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour (44.4 ml)
1 lb frozen whole pearl onions or cipollini onions (if fresh, blanch 1 minute, ice bath, then peel) (454 g)
1 lb fresh mushrooms, cut thickly (mix of cremini/baby bellas, shiitake, etc.) (454 g)
1 package dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms, hydrated in boiling water (reserve mushroom broth)

Preheat oven to 250°F.
Cook the Bacon: Pour olive oil into a large Dutch oven. Cook bacon over medium heat about 10 minutes until lightly browned. Remove with slotted spoon to a plate.
Brown the Beef: Pat beef cubes dry. Season with salt and pepper. Brown in batches, 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate with bacon.
Sauté the Vegetables: Add carrots and onions to pan. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp salt and 2 tsp pepper. Cook 10-15 minutes until onions are slightly golden. Add garlic for 1 minute more.
Flambé the Cognac: Pour in Cognac. Stand back and light with a match to burn off alcohol. BE CAREFUL — keep face and hair away.
Stir in tomato paste and thyme; cook 1-2 minutes.
Simmer the Stew: Add back meat and bacon with juices. Pour in wine and enough beef broth to nearly cover. Add dried mushroom broth and chopped rehydrated mushrooms. Cover tightly, set in oven. Let bubble gently for 1 hour 30 minutes until beef is tender.
Thicken: In a small bowl, mash 2 Tbsp butter with flour. Stir into stew with the pearl onions. In a separate pan, melt remaining 2 Tbsp butter and sauté fresh mushrooms until nicely browned (don't overcrowd). Add to stew.
Final Simmer: Bring stew to a boil on stove, reduce heat, simmer 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning.
Cool stew, then refrigerate overnight.
De-fat: In the morning, skim fat from top.
For serving: Reheat in oven at 325°F. Serve with polenta, egg noodles, or rice.

Wine Pairing: Bold Red (Côte du Rhône, Pinot Noir) — The same wine used to cook — a good dry red