Boeuff Bourguignon
The ease and comfort of a hearty one-pot meal is perfect for a chilly autumn evening.
Some like the Instant Pot, some like a Crock Pot; and I like a heavy enameled cast iron pot. These vessels are all perfect for preparing soups and stews.
A stew is a hearty meal and is termed from the process of stewing meat, which in essence is braising meat.
The word “braise” is French in origin where meat is first sautéed or seared at a high temperature then simmered in a covered pot with a small amount of cooking liquid combined with vegetables and aromatics at a low cooking temperature for a long period of time. This technique concentrates flavors and breaks down the meat’s collagen and connective tissue into gelatin which enhances the sauce and tenderizes the meat.
Braising meats and vegetables dates back to 6000 B.C., according to cultural anthropologists. Braised dishes appear in many cultures from Hungarian Goulash to Osso Bucco. Both Irish Stew, which is typically lamb-based, and American Stew with beef are popular.
Other well-known preparations include Coq au Vin which uses chicken and Carnitas which is pork-based. Many popular stews in Middle Eastern cuisine involve only vegetables.
I like to combine both meat and vegetables in many of my stews. A perfect fall stew is my Boeuff Bourguignon. This dish originates in the Burgundy region of Eastern France, which is known for its Charolais cattle and Burgundy wines. Both are highlighted in this recipe.
There are typically no potatoes in this French stew, so I like to serve this on a bed of mashed potatoes. Like coq au vin, its sister dish from the Burgundy region, Boeuf Bourguignon is slowly simmered in hearty red wine along with pearl onions, mushrooms and lardon, or bacon. Always use a good drinkable Burgundy or Bordeaux wine.
This dish is even better made a day ahead, but do not sauté the mushrooms and onions, nor add them to the stew until just before serving.
Enjoy!
Boeuf Bourguignon
Serves 6-8
INGREDIENTS
3 lbs. beef chuck, cubed
1 1/2 cups lardons or bacon, diced
1 bay leaf, large
1 lb. carrots, sliced into chunks
8 oz Cremini mushrooms, large sliced
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
1 lb. pearl onions
1 t thyme
1 T tomato paste
6 T butter
2 T AP flour
1/2 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
2 1/4 t Kosher salt
1 Pinch Sugar
1 750-milliliter bottle Red wine
1 tablespoon Olive oil, extra-virgin
1/2 cup cognac
2 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons beef demi-glace
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the lardons and cook over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Season beef pieces on all sides with salt and pepper and place small batches in the pot and cook until golden brown. Turn the beef over and brown the other sides. Remove and set aside.
Add the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook until the onions are caramelized. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Sprinkle in the flour making a roux with the fat and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the cognac and stir, scraping up any fond that has developed on the bottom of the pot. Slowly pour in the wine and the beef stock, stirring until incorporated. Add the reserved meats back into the pot with the juices. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.
Prepare a beurre manié by blending 2 tablespoons each butter and flour. Stir into sauce to thicken it. Add the demi-glace. Return the pot to the oven and continue cooking until the meat is very tender, 30 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, brown the small onions in 2 tablespoons butter with a dash of sugar in a large skillet. Add a little water, cover, and cook until the onions are almost tender. Set aside.
Sauté the mushrooms in the remaining 2 tablespoons each butter and oil and thyme in a large skillet until lightly browned. Sprinkle them with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Add the pearl onions and mushrooms to the stew and bring to a boil on top of the stove, then lowering the heat to a simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste. Add freshly chopped parsley.