Sisters Luv 2 Cook: Beef Bourguignonne

This classic French dish from Burgundy France sounds fancy, but really it is just a wine-braised beef stew. It is prepared with braised beef in red wine and beef broth, flavoured with garlic, onions, and bouquet garni with sauteed pearl onions and mushrooms added at the end of cooking. I like to serve it over mashed potatoes!

Ingredients:

4-5 pounds beef chuck( in Canada the beef will be called blade, crossrib or boneless shoulder roast)
½ pound of bacon, chopped
¼ Cup vegetable oil
3 Cups diced onions
21/2 Cups diced carrots
2 Tablespoons finely chopped garlic
¼ Cup of brandy
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
1 bottle dry red wine such as burgundy or Pinot Noir
4 Cups low sodium beef broth (divided)
1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, 2 sprigs thyme, 3 sprigs Italian parsley) tied together in cheesecloth.
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
1 ½ cups peeled pearl onions
41/2 Cups mushrooms
Kosher salt
Pepper

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Spread cubed beef on a large rimmed baking sheet and generously season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

In a large Dutch oven or stockpot add chopped bacon over medium-high heat and cook until almost crisp.

Remove cooked bacon to a paper-towel lined plate, Keeping bacon drippings in the pot.

Increase the heat to high and add the beef to just cover the bottom of the pot, being careful to not overcrowd the as the beef will not brown.

Brown the pieces on all sides, transferring them back to the baking sheet as they finish browning, and adding more meat to the pot until all the meat has been browned.

Set the browned meat to the side and add vegetable oil to the pot.

Add onions and carrots, cook for 2-3 minutes.

Lower the heat to medium-high and continue to cook for about ten minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add garlic and saute for 3 more minutes.

Add the brandy and allow it to heat up and then flambe it (this burns off the harsh alcohol taste) Be very careful. Use a long match, light the vapours from the edge of the pan not the actual liquid.

Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook the roux for about 3 minutes.

Stir in the wine, a little at a time as this will prevent lumps from forming.

Scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan.

Add 3 ¾ Cups beef broth, the browned meat,cooked bacon and the bouquet garni to the pot.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat, cover pot, and place in the oven for about 2 hours.

Test for doneness, pierce the meat with a fork, if it falls away from the fork easily, it is done. If it offers resistance or clings to the fork, return it to the oven and cook for another 20 minutes, or until done.

While the stew is cooking, glaze the onions.

Heat a saute pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter, add the peeled pearl onions. Season with salt and pepper.Saute until nicely browned.

Add ¼ Cup beef broth, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the onions are soft and glazed, about 15-20 minutes, shake the pan now and again. Cook until all the liquid has been evaporated.

Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In the same saute pan, heat on high, add two tablespoons butter, add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are nicely browned, transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Remove the stew from the oven, remove the bouquet garni. Skim any fat that is on the surface of the stew and discard. Gently stir in the mushrooms, onions and bacon.

Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Serve over mashed potatoes.

Print Recipe:Beef Bourguignonne

Add chopped bacon to a hot pan, and cook until almost crisp.

Remove cooked bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Reserving bacon drippings in pot.

Cube meat.

Season with salt and pepper.

Brown meat on all sides, adding vegetable oil to the pan as needed.

Remove browned meat and continue process until all the meat is browned.

Dice onions.

Dice carrots.

In the same pot that you browned the meat add vegetable oil and saute the onions and the carrots.

Mince garlic and add to carrots and onions once they are soft.

Add brandy and flambe.

Add flour and cook and stir for 3 minutes.

Add wine slowly stirring and adding to prevent lumps.

Add beef.

Add beef broth.

Bring mixture to a boil, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Place thyme, parsley and bay leaf on cheesecloth and secure with string. Place in beef mixture. Cover stew and put in the oven for a couple of hours or until the meat is fork tender.