Boeuf Bourguignon

Boeuf Bourguignon is so much more than just Beef Stew …

Boeuf Bourguignon is an unforgettable experience
A standard of French Cuisine
A work of art brought to the table

Taught by Auguste Escoffier in 1903
(The Escoffier Cookbook and Guide to the Art of Cookery)
and
Perfected and dramatically demonstrated by Julia Child in 1983
(Mastering the Art of French Cooking)

 Originally a peasant dish from the Burgundy region of France, Boeuf Bourguignon is simply beef braised in red wine.
But the flavour is anything but simple …
Additional flavours are infused through the pancetta, mirepoix, and fresh thyme.
Traditionally, pearl onions and button mushrooms are added at the end of cooking.

The aroma of Boeuf Bourguignon simmering in the oven will make you weak in the knees…
The big robust taste will hook you for life.

Tips for creating an unforgettable Boeuf Bourguignon:

• Use a top quality well-marbled beef chuck roast
• Spirits are a ‘must’ – de-glazing with brandy or whiskey;  braising in a drinkable red wine – preferably French …a Burgundy, or a Pinot Noir
• Addition of prunes or other dried fruit is optional – but, this softens the wine taste, adding a rich sweetness.  The prunes, along with the mirepoix, will be strained out at the end of cooking
• Pancetta, more so than bacon, brings a sweet, smoky and rich flavour dimension
• Braising in a very slow and low oven for a few hours is a key factor … it just needs to have a very gentle simmer going
• Refrigerating over-night allows the flavours to marry and mellow
• Serve with crusty French bread

 

 

Boeuf Bourguignon

Prep Time: 30 minutes     Cooking and Braising Time: 3-4 hours
Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil
180 grams (6 ounces) pancetta or bacon, finely chopped

2 – 3 pounds (1-1.25 kg) well-marbled beef chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
Kosher or sea salt; freshly ground black pepper

3-4 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 large onion, fine dice
2 stalks of celery, fine dice
3 cloves of garlic, minced

½ cup (125 mL) brandy or whiskey
3 cups (750 mL) dry red wine (Burgundy, Pinot Noir, Cotes de Rhone)
1-2 cups (250-500 mL) good quality beef broth

3-4 pitted prunes, or a handful of raisins
2 bay leaves
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil
1 tablespoon (15 mL) unsalted butter
1 – 10 oz pkg (285 g) fresh pearl onions
2 cups (500 mL) button mushrooms, stems trimmed

2-3 tablespoons (30-45 mL) unsalted butter
2 -3 tablespoons (30-45 mL) all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons (45 mL) fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon (15 mL) fresh chopped thyme
Kosher or sea salt; freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add finely chopped pancetta and sauté until pancetta is crisp and brown. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon and set it aside on a large plate
2. Prepare the beef cubes. Ensure that they are of uniform size. Trim any visible fat. Dry cubes with a paper towel and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
3. Over medium heat, sear beef cubes in the oil – one layer at a time. Several batches may be needed. Brown all sides – about 5 minutes per batch. As cubes are browned, remove them to the plate with the pancetta.
4. After all beef cubes are browned and removed, reduce heat slightly, and add the carrots, onions, and celery pieces to the hot pan. Add more oil if necessary. Saute vegetables for 5-8 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Stir in minced garlic.
5. Increase heat to medium-high. Add brandy or whiskey to de-glaze the pan. Cook for a minutes or two to enable the alcohol to burn off.
6. Put the beef cubes and pancetta back into the Dutch oven. Add the red wine and beef broth (add more broth in order to almost cover the meat). Stir in prunes, bay leaves and fresh thyme sprigs.   Bring to a gentle boil and cover tightly.
7. Place in a 250⁰F oven for about 2 hours. After 1 ½ hours, check to see if the vegetables and beef are tender. If not, braise for an additional ½ hour.
8. While beef is braising, prepare pearl onions and mushrooms:   In a pot of boiling water, boil pearl onions for 2-3 minutes; drain, and plunge into a bath of cold water. Trim off the root end, leaving the top end intact. Slip the onions out of their skin. In a large skillet, over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter. Saute the pearl onions until lightly brown – about 5 minutes. Remove from pan.   In same sauté pan, add button mushrooms and sauté until brown. Add more butter or oil if necessary.
9. When beef is tender, remove from oven. With a slotted spoon, remove the beef cubes from the Dutch oven and place in a separate bowl. Strain the braising liquid through a large colander (just to remove the large chunks of vegetables). Press gently on the mixture to extract extra flavor. Discard mixture.   Pour braising liquid back into the Dutch oven and place over low-medium heat.
10. In a small bowl, make a beurre manie by mixing the 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of soft butter.   Whisk into the braising liquid. Bring to a gentle boil; lower heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.   Season with salt and pepper to taste.
11. When braising liquid has thickened, stir in beef cubes, sautéed onions and mushrooms. Bring back to a gentle simmer. Cook 5 minutes.
12. Cool, and place in the refrigerator over night. Re-heat just before serving.    Stir in chopped parsley and thyme; season to taste.

 

 

Questions and comments are always welcome      alex@chilipeppersandpears.com