Beef bourguignon
Chunks of beef braised slowly in red wine with bacon, then finished with browned small onions and mushrooms in a dark, glossy sauce.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 160°C. Pat the beef dry with kitchen paper and season well with salt and pepper.
- 2
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the casserole over medium heat and fry the lardons until golden. Lift out with a slotted spoon.
- 3
Turn the heat up and brown the beef in 3 or 4 batches until deeply browned on all sides, adding the rest of the oil if needed. Set aside.
- 4
Lower the heat, add the onion and carrots and cook until softened and lightly coloured.
- 5
Stir in the garlic, flour and tomato paste and cook for a minute until the flour disappears.
- 6
Pour in the wine a little at a time, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the base, and bring to the boil.
- 7
Return the beef, lardons and any juices, add the stock, thyme and bay, and bring back to a simmer. The liquid should just cover the meat.
- 8
Cover and braise in the oven until the beef is tender enough to cut with a spoon.
- 9
Near the end, melt the butter in a frying pan and brown the shallots, shaking the pan, until golden all over.
- 10
Add the mushrooms to the shallots and fry until golden and any liquid has evaporated.
- 11
Stir the shallots and mushrooms into the stew and return it to the oven, uncovered, until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon.
- 12
Skim off any fat from the surface, remove the herb stalks and bay, and check the seasoning.
- 13
Scatter with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes or crusty bread.
Notes
- It tastes even better the next day. Cool, chill overnight, lift off the set fat and reheat gently.
- Dry the beef well and do not crowd the pan. Meat packed in too tightly steams grey instead of browning.
- Cook with a wine you would happily drink. It does not need to come from Burgundy.
Equipment
Large flameproof casserole with lid, Large frying pan, Slotted spoon