Beef Bourguignon stew

## Classic Beef Bourguignon Stew: A Hearty French Delight

Beef Bourguignon stew

Beef Bourguignon, also known as "beef Burgundian," originates from the Burgundy region of France. This dish is a beef stew that is slowly simmered in red wine, typically accompanied by carrots, onions, and garlic, and garnished with mushrooms and bacon. Traditionally, it is prepared using red Burgundy, a wine crafted from the Pinot Noir grape; however, other red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon are also suitable substitutes. The stew is best served with boiled potatoes or pasta and is known for its rich and flavorful taste. When selecting a wine for cooking, consider these two criteria: avoid cooking with a wine you wouldn't drink, and ideally, the best pairing for the meal will be the wine used in the recipe or one very similar. Adhere to the recipe for optimal results.

Ingredients: simple, total time: 3h 30 min, 6 servings

For Beef Bourguinion:

For Borettane Onions:

For Mushrooms:

Preparation:

Remove the veins from the pieces of beef, then cut them into bite-size pieces, set aside.
Cut the smoked bacon into cubes.
Place a small pot with water and wait for it to boil, add the bacon and let it cook for 2-3 minutes, then strain it well and put it on a plate.
After that, fry the bacon in hot oil until it becomes crispy, remove it with a slotted spoon and place it on a plate covered with a kitchen towel to absorb the excess fat. Set aside.

Preparation meat:

In a deep, large pot, melt the oil and butter, then add the pieces of meat and fry them over high heat for a few minutes until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add a pinch of salt, remove the meat with tongs and set aside in a bowl.

Preparation Vegetables:

Cut the carrots into large rings about 1 cm thick, chop the onion and crush 2 cloves of garlic.
Add all of this to the pot with the juices from the roast meat and fry for about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Once the vegetables are tender, return the meat to the pot, then add 2 spoons of flour or cornstarch. This addition will help thicken the sauce and make it super creamy.
Now add 1 spoon of tomato purée, pour in red wine, wait to alcohol evaporate about 5–7 minutes, then add beef broth until the meat and vegetables are almost completely covered.
Towards the end, check the taste by adding spices, parsley bouquet, thyme and bay leaf tied with kitchen string and finishing with peppercorns.
Leave all ingredients on low to medium heat, to boil, then remove the foam from the surface as it forms.
Once boiling, reduce the heat completely, cover and cook over very low heat for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally: the sauce should slowly reduce.
During this time, prepare gold Borettane onions.

Boretanne gold onions:

Meanwhile, melt a piece of butter in a pan with salt and sugar, add the onion and fry for a few moments, then add a little broth and season with a sprig of thyme.
Cook about 20 minutes with occasionally stirring to low heat.
After pastime of cooking, the onion will be soft and well caramelized, turn off the heat and set aside.

Preparation of Mushrooms:

Fry the sliced mushrooms in another pan with oil and minced of garlic. When they are golden brown, add a pinch of salt and black pepper to taste, stir and set aside.

The final part of the Bourguignon stew:

Once the meat and vegetables are cooked, remove them with a slotted spoon, then strain the sauce through a fine sieve.
Return the sauce and bacon to the saucepan, let it reduce for a few more minutes over high heat.
When the liquid has thickened, return the meat and vegetables to the pan, then add the onion, Boretane and roasted mushrooms.
Cook for another 5–7 minutes, then turn off the heat.
The boeuf bourguignon is ready: bring it to the table and enjoy it, hot, steaming and tasty, serve with boiling potatoes everything hot on plates.

Buon appetito!

NOTE:

If you don't have fresh parsley, you can add it towards the end.
You can also use dry thyme instead of fresh during cooking.
Do not neglect stirring during those 3 hours of cooking, stir every 25 minutes. The sauce should reduce by half.
Instead of Bourguignon wine, you can use pinot noir.
Keep the rest of the food covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
You can freeze this dish if you want and pack it in special boxes with a lid for up to 2 months. The day before preparation, take it out and transfer it to the refrigerator. Heat in a small pan while slowly adding a little water.