Burt Reynolds Beef Stew

By catfish

from the Eat This cookbook by Don Delouise

Ingredients

• 3 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 pounds boneless beef round, cut into 1-inch cubes (i use sirloin tips)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (8 ounce) can beef broth
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 bay leaf
• Pinch of thyme
• 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
• 3 potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
• 6 to 8 fresh mushrooms, sliced ( I use a lot more, quarter them and cook them seperately on high in a saute pan with olive oil. cook on high til liquid gone and then add them to stew)

Preparation

Step 1

Cook bacon until crisp in a Dutch oven; reserve bacon fat, and drain bacon on paper toweling.

Combine flour, salt and pepper in a plastic bag; shake beef in flour mixture to coat completely. Brown beef in bacon fat, turning often. (Add a little more vegetable oil if needed.) Add onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes. Add tomato sauce, broth, wine, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover; lower heat, simmer 1 1/2 hours.

Add carrots, celery, potatoes, and mushrooms. Uncover and cook until meat and vegetables are tender. Roughly another 1/2 hour. Sprinkle with reserved bacon.