Recipe of the Week: Beef Bourguignon

There are times when nothing warms your bones like a slow-cooked piece of beef. This recipe from Burgundy incorporates the delicious red wine from that region. To be authentic, you can use a red Burgundy wine (pinot noir) for this recipe, but a Beaujolais (gamay) works just as well.

Serves 6 to 8

3 pounds stewing beef, preferably from the blade
To taste salt and pepper
4 tbsp flour (for dredging)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 Tbsp butter, divided
1 cup, plus 2 Tbsp bacon lardons (from slab bacon), medium diced
1 packet dried porcini mushrooms
1 large onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves, whole
2 medium carrots, cut in half
2 celery stalks, cut in half
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups red wine
1 herb bundle (4 rosemary sprigs, 4 thyme sprigs, 3 bay leaves, tied together)
3 cups Beef Stock
1 cup Pearl onions, peeled
3 cups button mushrooms, evenly sized
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 Tbsp butter softened at room temperature

Method:

1)  Preheat your oven to 325°F. Season the stewing beef liberally with salt and pepper, then dredge with the flour and set aside on a sheet pan. Add the vegetable oil, 2 Tbsp butter, and 2 tbsp of the bacon lardons to a large braising pot over a medium heat and cook gently to render some of the bacon fat. Add the beef and brown on all sides, stirring frequently. Once browned, remove the beef and set aside on a tray. 

2) Rehydrate the porcini in a small bowl with water. Once flexible, strain the mushrooms using a fine mesh strainer, and keep both the mushrooms and the water. Discard any sand or dirt that is left in the mesh strainer.

3) Add the onion to the pot, sweat for about five minutes, then add the strained porcini, garlic, carrots, celery and tomato paste. Stir well and caramelize all the aromatic vegetables for another 10 or so minutes. Deglaze the pot with the red wine, stirring well to lift up any fond that has been stuck at the bottom of the pot. Add the beef stock, strained porcini water, and herb bundle, then add the beef stew back to the pot. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Skim and discard any foamy stock that rises to the top. Place a lid on the pot and braise in the oven until the beef is tender, about 2.5 hours.

4) While the stew is cooking, prepare the garnish. Add a tbsp of butter to a large sauce pan over medium low heat. Add a cup of bacon lardons and a cup of the pearl onions, and cook gently until the bacon has rendered its fat and the onions are slightly golden. Transfer the lardon and onions to a plate and reserve. In the same pan, add another tbsp of butter and the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms have released their water and start to brown - about ten minutes. Transfer to the plate with the lardons and the onions.

5) Make a beurre manié with the flour and butter - knead the two together to make a paste.

6)  When the beef is cooked, remove the pot from the oven. Using a pair of tongs, fish out the large pieces of vegetables and herb bundle and discard. Strain the stew over a clean pot so the broth can be reduced. Set the beef aside in a clean bowl. Reduce the broth over a medium heat until it thickens slightly, then whisk in the beurre manié until incorporated throughout the broth. 

7) Add the beef back to the broth along with the pearl onions, lardons, and mushrooms. Stir well and simmer for another five minutes to incorporate all the flavours. Serve with mashed potato, pasta, polenta, or whatever comforting side dish is in your favour.