Beef Bourguignon

Serves 6-8

We were having some friends over for dinner and I thought the perfect meal for this cold weather would be Beef Bourguignon. It’s a classic French dish that is rich and hearty with tender chunks of beef braised in red wine (my favorite is Bordeaux), which makes for a complex and savory sauce. This is a dish that I’ve made for my family many times and has become a favorite of ours. I hope you get in the kitchen with your family and friends to make this warm, comforting meal and create some memories together. Maybe it will be on your dinner party rotation for years to come. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon of olive oil
2 Tablespoon of unsalted butter
6 oz of thick cut bacon, medium dice
3 lbs of beef chuck, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 medium onion, peeled and large dice
2 carrots, peeled and large dice
1 lb of baby bella mushrooms, quartered
8 oz of cipollini onions quartered
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
Kosher salt and black pepper, freshly grounded
3 cups of a full-bodied wine (my favorite is Bordeaux)
¼ cup of liquor (I prefer Brandy or Bourbon)
2 cups of low-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoon of tomato paste
3 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour
Sachet (1 sprig of thyme, 2-3 parsley stems, 6 black peppercorns, and 2 bay leaves)
¼ cup of minced parsley

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Heat a dutch oven or large heavy bottom pot on medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and saute bacon for 5 minutes or until crispy and brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and put in a small bowl.
2. Pat the meat dry and season on all sides with salt and pepper. Add to a medium size bowl and dust with 3 tablespoons of flour. Toss to coat.
3. Add the meat in batches to the dutch oven, cooking 1 min per side and transfer to a plate.
4. Saute onions and carrots until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic cloves and tomato paste and cook until it reaches a deep, red color.
5. Remove the pot from the heat, tilt the pan away from you and add the liquor. Place back on the heat to light the alcohol to flambé it. Always pour your alcohol from a separate container and never directly from the bottle.
6. Add the meat, bacon, and cipollini onions to the pot. Add the wine and broth to cover the meat.
7. Add the sachet, cover and put in the oven. Cook for 3 to 3 ½ hours or until the meat is fork tender.
8. While the meat is cooking, saute the mushrooms. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add butter and once melted, add the mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes until golden brown. Season with salt and set aside.
9. Remove the meat and put it into a bowl. Strain the broth with a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot. I like to use a piece of cheesecloth in the strainer to remove any further impurities. Discard the spice bag, vegetables, and aromatics.
10. Add the mushrooms to the pot with the meat and broth. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
11. Serve with mashed potatoes and garnish with parsley. Enjoy!