French Beef Bourguignon
The original, the heartiest, the richest, the most delicious beef stew known to man….and the French did it! Now it’s your turn to do it - create the glorious “Boeuf Bourguignon”!
Boeuf Bourguignon:
½ pound bacon, cut into 1 ½” pieces 2 cups beef stock of beef consomme 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons flour 2 tablespoons tomato paste 3 pounds stewing beef or chuck roast, trimmed of fat, cut into 2 inch chunks 3 cloves garlic, mashed ½ teaspoon crushed, dried thyme 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced or 8 baby carrots 2 bay leaves, crumbled 1 large onion, peeled and slivered 24 small white onions, pearl onions, or bottled pearl onions 1 ½ teaspoons salt ½ tsp. black pepper 1 pound fresh button mushrooms, halved 3 cups red burgundy (or another dry wine) 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 - 12 ounce package wide egg noodles
-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
-Saute bacon in oil in heavy Dutch oven or oven proof casserole dish, until brown. Remove bacon.
-Heat oil and bacon fat until almost smoking, then add beef cubes, a few at a time in a single layer, then brown (beef should be dry to brown on all sides.) Remove beef cubes and sauté onion and carrot in fat. Spoon out extra fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot or casserole.
-Return beef and bacon to the pot then season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the beef with the flour, then toss the meat until the flour coats the beef cubes. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss meat again then return to oven for another 4 minutes. (This browns the flour and covers meat with a light crust). Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees.
-Stir in wine and stock to cover the meat. Add tomato paste, garlic, and herbs. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove, then cover casserole and set in preheated 325 oven. Simmer slowly for 2 1/2 - 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender, or when a fork pierces it easily.
-Remove the lid, stir in the onions and mushrooms and continue to braise in the oven, for an additional 30 minutes, for sauce to reduce and for the mixture to become shiny and silky. (Add more water if at any point, the pot becomes dry.)
-Meanwhile, peel the small onions, then place in a small pot with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Over medium-high heat, saute the whole onions until they begin to brown. Add about 1/2 cup of water to the pot, cover with a lid and cook the onions over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes until they are softened. Drain and set aside.
-To prepare the mushrooms, trim the stem end slightly and brush of any dirt that may be on the mushrooms. Cut mushrooms in half then saute them in 2 tablespoons melted butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, until they are tender (about 10 minutes.) Set aside.
-Remove the beef stew from the oven, stir in all but 1 tablespoon of the parsley and let cool for 15 - 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Serve the Beef Bourguignon either in the casserole dish or arrange stew on platter surrounded with noodles and decorated with remaining parsley. Serves 6 - 8
Prepare the ingredients, by trimming and cutting the beef, slicing the bacon, chopping the vegetables and collecting the herbs.
Brown the beef by placing in very hot oil, working in batches to allow cubes to brown evenly on all sides.
Saute the onions and carrots, then return the beef and bacon to the pot, along with the broth, wine, tomato paste, herbs and seasonings.
Braise the stew in the oven for several hours until the beef is fork tender and the sauce has reduced and is rich and silky. Stir in onions, mushrooms and parsley.
Serve Beef Bourguignon over cooked egg noodles.
Chunks of the tendeerst beef, tender carrots and onions, braised mushrooms in a silky wine sauce, settle down into a bed of noodles.
Just a sprinkle of chopped parsley brightens up the plate.
Serve with a simple salad and a crusty bread to create a meal that will make everyone satisfied and happy!
A French work of art from your own un-French kitchen!
PERSNICKETY NOTES:
**If you are unable to find pearl onions, cipollini onions are also a good choice. If unable to find either of these look for jarred pearl onions: Aunt Nellie's "Whole Holland-Style Onions" are a common brand. If all those fail, you can use a yellow onion, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks. Braise these the same way you would a pearl onion, then add them to the stew when you add the mushrooms.
**When frying the beef, be sure to brown on all sides of each cube. This technique insures a richer, deeper beef flavor in your stew. This can’t be achieved if the beef cubes are crowded in with each other. They need their space to do their best for you. So though it is easier to place all the beef chunks in to brown at the same time, resist. Take the extra time required to create a great flavor base for your Bourguignon. The technical explanation for this technique:
“Browning beef cubes spread out in the pan is important because the Maillard Reaction creates deep, complex flavors and aromas that are transferred to the entire stew. It also caramelizes the meat's sugars, giving it a rich, appealing brown color and helping it retain its shape during the long cooking process. Overcrowding the pan prevents proper browning by creating steam, which inhibits the Maillard reaction, resulting in less flavorful, grey meat.”
**If you don’t use alcohol in cooking, you can use a combination of beef stock and a small amount of acid (like balsamic or red wine vinegar), or tart fruit juice such as cranberry or pomegranate juice mixed with broth and an acid to balance sweetness. (Beef stock is richer in flavor than beef broth and canned beef consomme has more complex flavors than just plain broth, so use one of those, particularly if you are cooking without wine.)
**Burgundy red wine is the traditional wine of choice for this rich beef stew from the region of Burgundy in France. However, other good substitutes for this dish are Pino Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, or a Merlot.
