Beef Bourguignon
A classic French stew, the secret to a good Beef Bourguignon (also called Beef Burgundy), is a rich red wine marinade, homemade beef stock, and a slow braise. This recipe takes time, but is worth the effort.
Prep: 40 minutes
Cook: 2 Hours 30 minutes
Marinate: 1 day
Serves 5
INGREDIENTS • BEEF MARINADE
800g chuck steak, cubed
2 large carrots, sliced into rounds
16 pearl or small pickling onions
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme
750ml bottle of pinot noir (or other red wine)
BROWNING BEEF
3 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 Tsp salt
1/2 Tsp pepper
STEW
200g button mushrooms
150g bacon pieces (cut into thick cubes)
50g unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
6 Tbsp plain flour
3 cups beef stock
1/4 Tsp salt
Parsley for garnish
METHOD
- Place the beef marinade ingredients in a large ceramic dish, and marinate a minimum 12 hours in the fridge.
- Strain the liquid into a bowl, reserve marinade. Separate the beef, carrots and onion.
- Pour red wine into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Simmer vigorously until reduced by half. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Pat the beef dry with paper towels, and season with salt and pepper.
- Brown the beef with oil in a large, heavy-based, oven-proof pot, over high heat.
- Fry bacon until golden, and add to the beef. Sauté mushrooms until golden, and remove into a separate bowl.
- Sauté the onion, and add to mushrooms.
- Sauté carrots, add the garlic and cook for a further 1 minute, then add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add flour and cook for 2 minutes, then slowly stir in the stock, and lastly the wine, stirring to keep lump-free.
- Add to the beef and bacon, along with thyme, bay leaf, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper, then stir well.
- Bring to a simmer on the stove, then cover and transfer to oven for 1 hour, before stirring in the mushrooms and onion.
- Cover with lid and return to oven for 90 minutes, or until beef falls apart easily.
