Beef Bourguignon
This recipe is my version of the famous Julia Child Recipe. It takes some time but the tender beef and rich sauce made it worth it.
Beef Bourguignon is flavored with carrots, onions, garlic, and a bouquet garni, and garnished with pearl onions, and mushrooms.
I like to use French wine from the Burgundy or Bordeaux regions. French wines are less acidic and have a lower alcohol content compared to American wines. Red Bordeaux, Red Burgundy, and Pinot Noir are all good choices.
Also, do not try and eat the vegetables used to flavor the Beef Bourguignon. The carrots and onions will pick up the initial wine flavor and will not be very good. It’s unlike a traditional American roast where you cook the carrots, potatoes, etc. with the meat. That is why everything is discarded except for the beef and the sauce.
Why flour the beef? It helps create a more flavorful sear on the meat and thickens up the final product's sauce or broth.
Ingredients
Beef
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces (170g) bacon, roughly chopped
3 pounds marbled boneless chuck roast cut into 2-inch chunks (remove any thick gristle)
2 large carrots roughly chopped
1 large white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups red wine like Pinot Noir, Red Bordeaux, or a Red Burgundy
3 cups beef stock
1 6 oz can of tomato paste
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 sprigs parsley
3 bay leaves
Sautéed Mushrooms
1 pound fresh cremini or portabella mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Braised Onions
16 oz frozen white pearl onion thawed
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄2 cup beef stock
salt & fresh ground pepper
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
2 sprigs parsley
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Place beef in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, and then toss with 2 tablespoons flour. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-based pot. Sauté the bacon over medium heat until crisp and browned. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a dish and set aside.
Sear the floured beef in batches in the hot oil/bacon fat until browned on all sides. Remove to the dish with the bacon.
In the remaining oil/bacon fat, sauté the carrots and onions, about 3 minutes, until fragrant, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the bacon, beef, wine, and stock. Then add the tomato paste and herbs.
Cover, transfer to the lower part of the oven, and simmer for 3 hours, or until the meat is tender.
Remove from the oven and using a slotted spoon remove beef to a side dish. Strain the remaining ingredients into a pot saving the sauce. Discard the rest.
Place the beef back into the Dutch oven and pour the sauce over it. Place in the oven and reduce the heat to 200°F to keep warm while you cook the onions and mushrooms.
Once the onions and mushroom are done add them to the Dutch oven with the beef.
Serve over buttered egg noodles or classic mashed potatoes.
Braised Onions
Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet and add the onions once the butter stops foaming.
Saute over medium heat for about ten minutes, rolling the onions about so they brown as evenly as possible without breaking apart.
Pour in the stock, add the herbs and cover.
Simmer over low heat for about 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape and the liquid has mostly evaporated.
Remove the herbs, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Sautéed Mushrooms
Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet and add the mushrooms once the butter stops foaming.
Toss in the butter and oil and let the mushroom cook without stirring for 5 minutes to brown.
Stir and simmer until mushrooms are tender, about 5 more minutes.
Keywords: Beef Main
