It’s just beef stew, but it’s French Beef Stew! The aroma is intoxicating while it’s cooking and the flavor is unbelievable. You will find yourself peeking in the oven more than a few times while it’s cooking. A wonderful Sunday evening meal with family or friends.
Tip : This is best made with double smoked side bacon. If not available, then go with thick sliced smoked bacon, but you may have to pour off some of the fat after cooking. Double smoked side bacon tends to be meatier and will not render as much fat. Also, do not use precut stewing beef, instead buy 2 and 1/2 pounds of well marbled chuck roast and cut it into cubes. Pre-packaged stewing beef comes from various cuts of beef and tends to be very lean, which will likely be tough.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz double smoked bacon diced
- 2 1/2 lb chuck beef cut into 1 inch cubes
- kosher salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- 3 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
- 1 large Spanish onion sliced
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1/2 cup cognac (optional)
- 1/2 bottle good red wine Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noire
- 1 can beef consommé (Campbell's)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dry
- 2 tbsp soft unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 lb button mushrooms
- 1 lb pearl onions frozen, or fresh and peeled
- country bread or sourdough rubbed with a half of garlic clove
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients before starting recipe.
- Pre heat conventional oven to 300°
- Peel and chop carrots and onions and quarter mushrooms if they are medium or large.
- Heat a large sauté pan with a tight fitting lid on medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and chopped bacon and cook until the bacon begins to brown, 4-5 minutes, then remove from pan and set aside.
- Dry cubes of beef with paper towel and add cubes to sauté pan in a single layer. Salt and sear until each side is browed, 4-5 minutes per side.
- Remove seared cubes of beef and set aside and add sliced onion and carrots to pan, scraping up any brown bits and stirring occasionally; 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- When onions have started to turn golden, add 2 grated cloves of garlic and mix to combine, cooking for 1 more minute
- Return beef to sauté pan and add 1/2 bottle of good red wine, the beef consommé and the tomato paste, stir to combine. Note that the liquids should not cover the beef.
- Cover with a tight fitting lid and place in a pre-heated 300° oven on a cookie sheet and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the beef is very tender when pierced with a fork. Check the mixture periodically, if the mixture looks a little dry, add a bit more wine or beef stock.
- Add the pearl onions to the mixture, leaving the pan in the oven.
- Sautè 1 pound of cleaned button mushrooms in a bit of butter over medium high heat, and when the mushrooms begin to brown, remove beef from oven and finish on the stove top over medium heat. Add the mushrooms to the beef and combine.
- Mix 2 tablespoons of very soft butter with 2-3 tablespoons of flour and mix into the beef mixture, stirring well to combine. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.
Final Steps
- Cut large 1 inch thick slices of country or sourdough bread and toast under the broiler. When nicely toasted, rub with a half of a clove of garlic and set in the center of a plate. Ladle the Beef Bourguignon over the slice of bread, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve
