- 4
Ingredients
- 1/4 lb thick-sliced bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 lb boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1.3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbls vegetable oil
- 4 1/2 Tbls unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup brandy
- 1 (4-inch) piece of celery
- 4 fresh parsley stems (no leaves)
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves (not California)
- 2 cloves
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
- 1 Tbls tomato paste
- 1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine (preferable Burgundy or Cotes du Rhone)
- 1 lb small (1 1/2) boiling onions or pearl onions
- 1 lb mushrooms, quartered if large
- Kitchen string
Preparation
Step 1
Cook bacon in boiling salted water 3 minutes, then drain.
Pat beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Divide flour and beef between 2 (1-quart or gallon) sealable plastic bags, seal, then shake to coat meat.
Heat 1 Tbls oil and 1 1/2 Tbls butter in a wide 6-8 quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown beef well on all sides in 2 or 3 batches, without crowding, adding remaining tablespoon oil as needed. Transfer to a bowl.
Pour off any excess oil from pot, then add brandy to pot. Deglaze by boiling over high heat 1 minute, stirring and scraping up brown bits, then pour over beef.
Tie celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and cloves together with kitchen string to make a bouquet garni (tuck cloves into celery so they don't fall out.
Heat 1 Tbls butter in cleaned pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then saute bacon, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chopped onions, garlic, and carrots, then saute, stirring, until onions are pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine, meat with juices, and bouquet garni and simmer gently, partially covered, until meat is tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
While meat simmers, blanch boiling onions in boiling salted water 1 minute andd drain in a colander. Rinse under cold running water and peel. Or, use frozen onions and defrost.
Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 3 quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then saute boiling onions, stirring occasionally, until browned in patches. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 cups water (1 1/2 cups if using pearl onions), then simmer, partially covered, until onions are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a glaze, 5 to 10 minutes.
Heat remaining tablespoon butter in a large non-stick skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, and then saute mushrooms, stirring, until golden brown and any liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir onions and mushrooms into bourguignon the last 20 minutes of cooking time. Remove bouquet garni and skim any fat off surface of stew. Taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Best Idea: Put all in crock pot and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Add small onion and mushrooms the last hour of cooking.
Boeuf bourguignon may be made 1 day ahead. Cool, uncovered, then chill, covered. Remove fat from surface after chilling.