Boeuf Bourguignon or beef bourguignon is an absolute classic French dish. Surprisingly, it doesn’t come from Burgundy as its name would indicate but it was most likely invented in a Parisian restaurant in the 19the century.
Whatever its origins, it’s a delicious and hearty stew that is most satisfying in winter and as it’s full of flavour a little goes a long way.
Boeuf Bourguignon’s recipe respects the holy trinity of so many French stew recipe or any stew for that matter : meat + booze + long cooking time. This stew does need to cook for a long time, at least 2 hours. It best served day the next day of course. So, make sure you clear your week end for this recipe!
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6, depending on your appetite for heavy duty wine-based stew.
- 1 kg chuck beef. Cut in big cubes 4 x 4 cm.
- 1 bottle of half decent burgundy/Beaujolais red
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 large yellow onion
- 15 pearl onions (onions grelots).
- 1 bouquet garni (parsley, thyme and laurel)
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 120g cured pork belly
- 250g white or chestnut mushrooms, cut in 4.
- Salt and pepper
Method:
Place a large heavy bottom pan (oven proof – le Creuset/Staub or any other Dutch oven is ideal) on medium heat with butter and oil. Add the onion cut in small chunks and sauté for a few couple of minutes till lightly brown. Remove from pan and reserve.
Now, brown the meat on each side in remaining butter/oil gently. You might have to do it in batches so not crowd the pan.
Add flour and cook for couple of minutes. Return onions to pan. Then pour in the bottle of wine. Yes, le whole thing! Add water to cover the meat in necessary. Chuck in the garlic and bouquet garni. A bit of pepper but no salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and skim off the scum. Umm appetising. This will take a few minutes but will remove bitterness from the stew.
Cook slowly on stove or in over at 160 degree in the oven at least 2 hours. Keep an eye on it regularly, stir and maybe add a little water if necessary.
After a couple of hours you can prepare the garnish.
In a frying pan, sauté lightly the pork cut into large strips – lardon style. Remove and add to stew. In the pork fat you can sauté the little grelots onions for a few minutes until lightly golden, then add to stew. Finally cook the mushroom for a couple of minutes so they render any water and add to stew.
Cook meat and garnish together for a further ½ hour. Then add salt to taste.
Eat the next day preferably having removed excess fat.
Serve it with plain accompaniment as it is a very meaty dish; something like plain boiled or steam new potatoes or some fresh tagliatelle. I personally enjoy eating it with just bread dipped in the sauce.
Notes & Tips
There are many variations on beef bourguignon of course.
Some like to marinate the meat the day before (with wine, a bit of cognac and aromatics) and also some like to add a little tomato puree.
You can had a couple of carrots but they will be more part of the aromatics rather than anything else. Add them cut in half at the same time as the garlic and herbs.
