Beef Bourguignon

♥ ★★★★☆
Prep: 45 mins (est.) Cook: 2 hours 30 mins Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon good olive oil
  • 8 oz dry-cured center-cut applewood smoked bacon, diced
  • 2½-3½ lbs chuck beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 lb carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
  • 2 yellow onions, sliced (not diced)
  • 3 teaspoons chopped garlic (about 5 cloves)
  • ½ cup Cognac or Armagnac (can substitute brandy)
  • 1 (750ml) bottle good dry red wine (Côte du Rhône or Pinot Noir)
  • 1 can (2 cups) beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 heaping teaspoon dried)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 lb frozen pearl onions or cipollini onions (or fresh)
  • 1 lb fresh mushrooms (cremini, baby bella, shiitake), cut thickly
  • 1 package dried mushrooms (porcini or shiitake)

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat oven to 250°F.
  2. 2. Cook the bacon: Pour olive oil into a large Dutch oven. Add bacon and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until lightly browned. Remove with slotted spoon to a large plate.
  3. 3. Brown the beef: Pat beef cubes dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper. Brown beef in hot oil in single layers, cooking each batch 3-5 minutes, turning to sear all sides. Transfer browned beef to plate with bacon.
  4. 4. Sauté the vegetables: Add carrots and onions to pan. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper. Cook 10-15 minutes until onions are slightly golden. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  5. 5. Flame the cognac: Pour in cognac. Stand back and carefully light with a match to burn off alcohol. BE CAREFUL - keep face and hair away from flames.
  6. 6. Add tomato paste and thyme, cook 1-2 minutes.
  7. 7. Simmer the stew: Return meat and bacon with any juices to pot. Add wine and enough beef broth to nearly cover. Add dried mushroom broth and chopped rehydrated mushrooms. Cover tightly and braise in oven 1 hour 30 minutes until beef is very tender.
  8. 8. Thicken the stew: In small bowl, mash together 2 tablespoons butter with flour. Stir into stew along with pearl onions. In separate pan, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter and sauté fresh mushrooms until nicely browned (don't overcrowd). Add to stew.
  9. 9. Final simmer: Bring stew to boil on stove, then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  10. 10. Cool and de-fat: Let stew cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. In morning, skim fat from surface.
  11. 11. To serve: Reheat in 325°F oven. Serve with polenta, egg noodles, or rice.
For fresh pearl onions: trim root end, blanch in boiling water 1 minute, transfer to ice bath, then peel outer skin layer. Rehydrate dried mushrooms in small bowl with boiling water, covered with plate - reserve the liquid for the stew. When sautéing fresh mushrooms, let them cook on one side before flipping to achieve proper browning. The overnight cooling and de-fatting step significantly improves the final dish quality.
Wine Pairing: Medium Red
· George (personal recipe)
braised, wine, bacon, mushrooms, cognac, winter, comfort food, make-ahead