Beef Bourguignon Burgundy Beef Stew Food

BURGUNDY BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Put a large, heavy-bottomed, ovenproof pot over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pot and reserve for serving.
• Pat the beef dry and season it with salt and pepper. Turn up the heat under the pot to medium high and brown the beef on all sides in batches, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside. If there is a lot of oil left, pour off all but 2 tablespoons.
• Add the onion, celery and finely chopped carrot to the pot and cook until the vegetables begin to wilt, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, flour and garlic and cook for another minute or 2. Pour in the wine, whisking to combine, and bring to a boil. Add the mushrooms, pearl onions and 1-inch carrot pieces. Return the beef to the pot. Pour in enough broth to just cover the meat and bring to a simmer. Cover and put into the oven. Cook until the beef is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Skim off any excess fat from the top of the stew and serve garnished with parsley and the reserved bacon.

BOEUF EN DAUBE - CLASSIC FRENCH BEEF BURGUNDY STEW (BOURGUIGNON)

Steps:

• In a large non-reactive bowl, combine beef, Cognac, cloves, garlic, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf, sage, thyme, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, orange peel, wine, and mushrooms. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days, stirring from time to time.
• Bring the meat and vegetables to room temperature. Drain, reserving the marinade.
• Blot the beef and veggies dry with paper towels.
• Preheat oven to 325F/175°C.
• In a large heavy oven proof dish (such as a cast iron dutch oven or Le Creuset), fry the bacon over medium heat until it renders its fat, about 3-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to paper towels and reserve.
• Working in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, add the meat and vegetables to the fat in the pan, and brown them on all sides over medium heat, seasoning with salt and pepper as they brown, about 7 minutes per batch.
• Transfer to a platter. Add the marinade to the pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced by one-third, about 8 minutes. Skim off the foam from the surface. Add the stock or consomme, and simmer another 8 minutes, until reduced again by one-third. Stir in the pinch of sugar and the tomato paste, (and add the diced tomatoes and green olives now, if using).
• Return the meat, vegetables and reserved bacon to the pot. Cover and bake in the oven until the meat is tender, 2 1/2-3 hours. -OR- alternately, at this stage you can cook in the crock-pot on LOW heat 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH heat 4 to 6 hours.
• Serve with a rustic bread for mopping the juices, along with a green salad and a platter of cheeses.
• Freezes and reheats beautifully. Leftovers will make a lovely Cottage-Shepherd's Pie a la Provencale, see my recipe #355446.

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.
• Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.
• Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.
• Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.
• To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven. Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut clove of garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley.

CLASSIC BEEF BURGUNDY STEW

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and pepper. Add beef in batches and brown thoroughly.
• Put beef into a soup pot with wine, beef base, consomme, onion, celery, parsley, basil, bay leaves and garlic salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes, until meat is tender.
• Add carrots and potatoes; simmer until tender. Add mushrooms and cook a few minutes longer until mushrooms are cooked through. Adjust seasonings, to taste.
• To thicken, mix cornstarch with enough water to form a smooth, slightly thick mixture; stir into stew, remove from heat and serve.

SLOW-SIMMERED BURGUNDY BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Toss beef with flour and salt to coat lightly; shake off excess. In an ovenproof Dutch oven, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Brown beef in batches, adding additional oil as needed. Remove from pan., Add bouillon, parsley, seasoning, 2 cups water and wine to same pan; bring to a boil, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Add beef; return to a boil. Transfer to oven; bake, covered, 1 hour., Stir in vegetables and, if desired, thin with additional water. Bake, covered, until beef and vegetables are tender, 45-60 minutes.