Beef Bourguignonne

 

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Beef Bourguignonne
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 30 mins
 
For a very brief period of time and only occasionally, I made the Sunday dinner at Chez Panisse, Beef Bourguignonne. It was, at that time, one of the few main courses I knew by heart. It may appear complex because it has several steps, but you don’t have to do them all at once.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: French
Servings: 8
Author: Inspired by Michael Fields
Ingredients
  • Serves 6 – 8
  • 3 ½ Lbs of chuck roast cut into 1” cubes*
  • 2 medium yellow onions sliced
  • 2 carrots chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 sprigs parsley
  • 1 tsp peppercorns
  • 1 tsp winter savory
  • 1 bottle of pinot noir or your favorite dry red wine**
  • 1/3 cup cognac
  • 2 cups of beef stock***
  • 6 tbsp avocado oil
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 20 pearl onions
  • ¼ bacon blanched
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 bouquet garni of oregano thyme, sage, and winter savory
  • 2 dozen small mushrooms
  • 2 Yukon Gold potatoes per person peeled and cut in half
  • 1 bunch minced parley
  • ½ stick of butter
Instructions
  1. Place the cut up beef in a glass baking dish large enough to hold the meat half the bottle of wine, onion slices, carrots, peppercorns and herbs.
  2. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate overnight, turning at least once. The following day, remove the beef and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. Strain the marinade into a sauce pan. Add the beef stock. Slowly simmer until reduced by ½.
  3. While the marinade is being reduced, heat the oil and butter in an oven proof - 4 quart pot. Add the pearl onions and blanched bacon and sauté until the onions are golden brown. Remove the bacon and onions with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  4. In the same pan, brown the cubes of beef a few at a time. Don’t crowd them because this prevents them from browning.
  5. After all the meat is browned, return all of the meat to the pan pour the cognac evenly over the meat and light with a kitchen match. Shake the pan gently to make sure all of the alcohol has evaporated.
  6. Sprinkle the beef with 3 tablespoons of flour. Stir thoroughly. Add minced garlic, reduced marinade, the remainder of the bottle of red wine, bacon, onions, mushrooms and bouquet garni. Cover and bring stew to a slow simmer. Continue to simmer slowly for two hours.
  7. Boil potatoes until tender. Roll in melted butter. Sprinkle with minced parsley. Salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Notes

* You may use a rump (round) roast as well, however, it’s not quite as flavorful

** Recommended by Julia Child and Raymond Oliver

*** Beef Stock recipe here.