Beef Bourguignon
Submitted by Bobbi Hill on Sep 16, 2013

Most regions of France have a version of beef stew, but Burgundy's is the most well known. The recipe is simple, with relatively few ingredients. If you make it a day ahead and let the flavors mature in the refrigerator, it will be even better.

Servings:
8

Complexity:   
Medium

Total Time:
several hours

Ingredients:
3 lb. beef blade or chuck steak
3 cups red wine (preferably Burgundy)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
bouquet garni (three fresh thyme sprigs, 2 fresh parsley sprigs, and a bay leaf)
or a bay leaf and a few pinches of dried thyme
5 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 oz. thick cut bacon, cut into short strips, fat rendered by cooking in a microwave
10 oz. shallots, peeled but left whole
6 oz. small button mushrooms (if you love mushrooms, double the amount)
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Cut the meat into 1 1/2" cubes; trim off any excess fat. Put the meat, wine, garlic, and bouquet garni (or bay leaf and a few pinches of dried thyme) in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and put in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or, better yet, overnight.
Preheat the oven to 315ºF. Drain the meat, reserving the marinade and bouquet garni. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil in a large casserole: Le Creuset cast iron is perfect. Add the onion, carrot, and, if being used, the bouquet garni and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter or olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Fry the meat in batches for about 10 minutes, turning the pieces every few minutes, until well browned. Add to the casserole.
Pour the reserved marinade into the frying pan and boil, scraping and stirring with a wooden spatula, for 30 seconds to deglaze the pan. (Deglaze: scraping the brown bits cooked onto the bottom of a pan with a wooden spatula to loosen them so they emulsify with the liquid.) Remove from the heat. Return the casserole to a high heat and sprinkle the meat and vegetables with the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the meat is well coated with the flour. Pour in the marinade and stir well. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then cover and cook in the oven for 2 hours.
Heat the remaining butter or olive oil in a clean frying pan and cook the bacon and shallots, stirring, for 12 minutes or until the shallots are softened and slightly browned. Remove shallots and bacon and place in the casserole. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned. Add the mushrooms to the casserole.
Cover the casserole and return it to the oven for 30 minutes, or until the meat is soft and tender. If using a bouquet garni, discard it. If necessary, skim fat from the surface before serving. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Cook's Notes:
Serve it with salad and bread or boiled new potatoes. This version is adapted from The Food of France. I've never made it, but it sounds wonderful if you have nothing better to do but mess around in the kitchen for a few hours. I'm sure your guests will be nothing less than impressed.