BEEF BOURGUIGNON - FRENCH OF COURSE, BUT OFTEN CONFUSED WITH IRISH STEW, BEEF STEW AND OTHER STEWS WITH BEEF.

INGREDIENTS:  Serves 6 

•  1 Tablespoon good olive oil 
•  8 ounces bacon, coarsely chopped

•  3 pounds well-trimmed boneless beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch cubes (from 7-bone chuck roast)

•  ⅓ cup all purpose flour

•  1¼pounds boiling onions, peeled

•  ¾ pound large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

•  4 celery stalks cut into 1 inch pieces on the diagonal.

•  6 white new potatoes, peeled and quartered.

•  6 large garlic cloves, peeled (left whole)
•  3 cups canned beef broth

•  ½ cup Cognac or brandy

•  2-750ml bottles of good red Burgundy wine

•  1 pound crimini or porcini mushrooms

•  1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
•  ⅓ cup chopped fresh thyme or 2 tablespoons dried

•  1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

•  1 tablespoon tomato paste

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 325ºF degrees. Sautè bacon in heavy large Dutch oven over high heat until brown
     and crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Add the olive oil to
     theDutch oven with the bacon drippings.

2.  Season beef generously with salt and pepper; coat with ⅓ cup flour, using all of flour. Working in
     3 batches, brown beef in same pot over high heat, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer meat to large
     bowl. 

3.  Add onions and carrots to same pot and sauté until light brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and
     sauté 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to bowl with beef.

4.  Add 1 cup broth and Cognac to pot; boil until reduced to glaze, scraping up browned bits, about
     8 minutes. Return meat and vegetables and their juices to pot. Add wine, mushrooms, thyme, sugar,
     tomato paste and 2 cups broth. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Cover pot and place in oven. Cook
     until beef is tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes.


5.  Add celery and potatoes after 30 minutes of cooking time. •Add peas at the end of the cooking time
     after heat has been turned off.

6.  Ladle liquid from stew into large saucepan. Spoon off fat. Boil liquid until reduced to 2¾ cups,
     about 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour liquid back over beef and vegetables. (Can be
     prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Rewarm over low heat before serving.

✯BEEF BOURGUIGNON 2

INGREDIENTS:  Serves 6

•	1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
•	4 ounces diced pancetta (no smoked bacon please)
•	2½ pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 1½ inch cubes or (2½ pounds of
        beef tenderloin)  I believe the chuck roast or 7 bone roast has more beef flavor.
•	Kosher salt
•	Freshly ground black pepper
•	1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
•	2 medium yellow onions, sliced or ½ lb. pearl onions or small shallots
•	2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
•	1 cup sherry, dry
•	1 (750 ml.) bottle of a full-bodied red wine, (Zinfandel,  Barbera or Chianti goes well here)
•	2-3 cups beef broth or stock (Or maybe more wine)
•	2 tablespoons tomato paste
•	1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (½ teaspoon dried) 
•	1 lb crimini or porcini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced ⅓ inch thick
•	3 tbsp unsalted butter
•	2½ tablespoons all-purpose flour 
•	¼ cup flatleaf parsley (optional), chopped fine

DIRECTIONS:

1.  With a sharp knife, cut the filet or chuck roast into 1½inch cubes.  Salt and pepper the cubes on
all sides.  In a large, heavy-bottomed pan on medium-high heat, sautè the beef in batches with 2 to 3
tablespoons oil until browned on the outside and very rare inside, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
Remove the beef from the pan and set aside on a platter.

2.  In the same pan, sautè the pancetta or bacon on medium-low heat for 5 minutes, until browned and
crisp. Remove the bacon and set it aside. Drain all the fat, except 2 tablespoons, from the pan. Add the
garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

3.  Deglaze the pan with the red wine and cook on high heat for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the
pan. Add the beef stock, tomato paste, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil
and cook uncovered on medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Strain the sauce and return it to the pan.
Add the onions and carrots and simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and
the vegetables are cooked.

4.  With a fork mash 2 tablespoons butter and the flour into a paste and whisk it gently into the sauce.
Simmer for 2 minutes to thicken.

5.  Meanwhile, sautè the mushrooms separately in 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil for about
10 minutes, until browned and tender.

6.  Add the beef  the mushrooms, and the bacon to the pan with the vegetables and sauce. Cover and
reheat gently for 5 to 10 minutes. Do not overcook. Season, to taste, and serve immediately.

COOKS NOTE* 
I find that beef that tastes like beef is best here.  Expensive cuts,  yes are more tender,  but with the
wine and cooking time,  lesser cuts will perform as well as the expensive cuts,  maybe better.  It's your
money and your choice.

NOTE: ALTHOUGH NOT THE EXACT RECIPES SHOWN ABOVE,  THE VIDEO BELOW MIGHT BE OF HELP TO "DO IT YOUR WAY".


HOW TO MAKE BEEF BOURGUIGNON