French Oven Beef Stew Food

FRENCH BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Heat the 1 tbs butter and 1 tsp oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Brown the meat on all sides. You may have to do this in shifts. Place meat on a plate and set aside.
• Heat a large (5-6qt/L) dutch/French oven over medium heat. Add the 1 1/2 tbs oil, sliced onions and carrots. Saute until onions are translucent. Add the meat to the dutch oven, then pour in the red wine, chopped tomatoes and enough beef stock so the meat is almost covered (it's ok if it's not completely covered).
• Wrap the parsley stems, peppercorns, fresh thyme, cloves and bay leaf in a piece of cheesecloth. Tie to secure and drop into the liquid in the pot. Bring to the simmer, cover and cook over low heat for 2-3 hours, or until meat is tender.
• Place a colander in a large bowl and dump the contents of the dutch oven into the colander, reserving juice. Discard the onions, carrots and bouquet garni (herbs in the cheesecloth).
• Place the meat back in the dutch oven and add strained juice. Mix the cornstarch and wine/vermouth until smooth. Mix into the hot juice and stir over low heat until thickened. Cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the cooked turnips, potatoes and carrots and heat through.

FRENCH BEEF STEW (BOEUF BOURGUIGNON)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Heat 2 TB oil in large Dutch oven (or heavy, oven-safe pot with tight fitting lid.) Add bacon and cook over medium until evenly and lightly browned throughout. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a large plate. Remaining oil and grease should stay in the pot.
• Using paper towels, thoroughly dry uncooked beef and sprinkle the cubes evenly with a thin layer of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Reheat the oil/bacon grease in the Dutch oven and sear the beef cubes in a single layer, working in batches, until each cube is brown on all sides. Do not over crowd the pan, making sure to leave some space between each piece of beef. Add more oil as needed to finish browning. Set beef aside in plate with the bacon.
• If needed, add 2 TB to pot and heat oil. Add carrots, onions, garlic, 1 TB kosher salt, 2 tsp black pepper and saute for 5 minutes until onions are lightly browned. Deglaze bottom of pot, adding 1 TB oil as needed. Add Cognac and cook another 10 minutes on medium.
• Add beef and bacon back into Dutch oven with their juices. Add the wine and enough beef broth to almost cover all the meat. Add tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to simmer, stirring occasionally. Once liquid is reaches a simmer, cover the pot with tight fitting lid and place in oven for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until meat is very tender when pierced with fork.
• Meanwhile, mix together 2 TB butter with 3 TB flour in small bowl and set aside. Saute mushrooms with 2 TB butter in skillet just until mushrooms start to become soft.
• Remove stew from oven. Add the butter/flour mixture, frozen pearl onions, and mushrooms to the stew. Bring to a boil on stovetop and immediately reduce to simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Skim off any fat off the top. Remove bay leaves. Season with additional kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with crusty bread or egg noodles.

OVEN-BAKED BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Pour flour into a shallow bowl and turn beef in flour, shaking meat to remove excess flour. Heat oil in an ovenproof casserole dish over high heat. Brown beef cubes in hot oil in batches on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer beef to a plate.
• Add onion, celery, and carrots to the casserole dish, reduce heat to medium, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour in broth. Return beef to the casserole dish and stir in bay leaves. Cover casserole.
• Bake in the preheated oven until beef is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove bay leaves before serving and season with salt and pepper.

FRENCH BEEF STEW

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine beef chunks, wine, bay leaf, cloves, onion and garlic. Toss together to coat meat, cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 - 12 hours.
• In a large heavy pot, melt butter and cook off bacon until just crispy and set aside to drain. Scoop beef from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Toss in a bowl with flour to coat. Shake off excess flour. Add the floured beef to the pot and cook until nicely browned. Stir in the onion and garlic from the marinade, as well as the thyme, stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender.
• Peel the pearl onions and trim off a little bit of the root end. Melt butter in a small skillet and add pearl onions. Toss to coat and pour in 1/4 cup of water and cover. Simmer until tender. Uncover and allow liquid to evaporate. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon sugar and shake pan over medium heat until onions begin to brown and caramelize. Season with salt and pepper.
• In another skillet melt 3 tablespoons butter and cook mushrooms until golden brown. Stir in crispy bacon bits and season with salt and pepper.
• When the beef is tender, remove meat with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Simmer sauce until
• thickened and stir in flour/butter mixture to help thicken. Season sauce to taste. Return beef to pot and bring stew to a boil. Serve hot with boiled potatoes, pearl onions, mushrooms and garnish with chopped parsley.

FRENCH BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Combine meat and flour in a large plastic food storage bag and toss to coat evenly.
• In a 6 quart saucepan brown meat in hot vegetable oil. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
• Add diced tomatoes, beef broth, carrots, potatoes and thyme. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover; and simmer for 1 hour or until beef is tender.
• Blend in mustard and serve.

FRENCH BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a greased 5-qt. slow cooker. Top with the beef, carrots, onions and celery. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over the vegetables. , Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.

FRENCH OVEN STEW

Steps:

• Heat oven 300 degrees.
• Mix all ingredients in a heavy 3 quart ovenproof saucepot.
• Cover and bake, stirring once an hour, for 3 hours or until meat is tender and sauce is thickened.
• Discard bay leaves before serving or storing.
• Serve over buttered noodles if desired.
• You can use frozen small white onions instead of fresh but add them to the pot 1 hour before stew is done.
• You can also add frozen peas or frozen beans 20 minutes before stew is done -- .