Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients

• 150 g bacon lardons (thick-cut smoky bacon)
• 1000 g beef chuck (cut into 2-inch cubes)
• 2 pieces carrot (sliced into rounds)
• 1 piece onion (diced)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 29.57 ml all-purpose flour (for dredging)
• 750 ml dry red wine (Burgundy or Pinot Noir)
• 500 ml beef stock (high quality beef broth)
• 14 6/8 ml tomato paste (concentrated)
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme (tied together)
• 200 g pearl onions (peeled)
• 250 g button mushrooms (halved or quartered)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F).

2. 2

   In a large Dutch oven, brown the bacon lardons over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3. 3

   Dry the beef cubes thoroughly with paper towels. Sear the beef in the rendered bacon fat in batches until deeply browned on all sides. Remove the beef and set aside.

4. 4

   In the same pot, sauté the diced onion and sliced carrots until softened, about 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

6. 6

   Return the beef and bacon to the pot. Sprinkle with flour and toss to coat, cooking for 2 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste.

7. 7

   Slowly pour in the red wine and beef stock until the meat is just covered. Stir in the tomato paste and thyme.

8. 8

   Bring to a simmer on the hob, then cover with a lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender.

9. 9

   While the beef cooks, sauté the pearl onions and mushrooms in a separate pan with a little butter until golden brown.

10. 10

    Stir the mushrooms and onions into the stew during the last 20 minutes of cooking. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Tips

• Always dry your beef thoroughly with paper towels before searing to ensure a deep, mahogany brown crust.
• Use a decent quality wine that you would enjoy drinking, as it forms the base of the sauce.
• The stew tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld in the refrigerator.