Mercredi Recipe

Season and flour beef

Pat beef cubes dry with paper towels. Season evenly with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Toss the beef with the 3 tbs flour in a bowl or zip bag so pieces are lightly coated; shake off excess flour.

Cook bacon

In a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or casserole over medium heat, add the diced bacon and cook until fat renders and pieces are golden, about 6–8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a bowl and reserve the fat in the pot. Leave about 1–2 tbs of fat in the pot; drain excess if there's much.

Brown beef in batches

Increase heat to medium-high and add 1–2 tbs vegetable oil to the pot. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add floured beef pieces and brown on all sides until a deep brown crust forms, about 3–4 minutes per batch. Transfer browned pieces to a plate as they finish.

Sauté aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. If the pot is dry, add 1 tbs oil. Add chopped onion and carrots and cook, stirring, until onions are translucent and starting to soften, about 6 minutes. Add minced garlic and 1 tbs tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, to remove raw tomato flavor and lightly caramelize the paste.

Deglaze with wine

Pour in about 250 ml of the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer and let reduce by about half, 6–8 minutes.

Combine and braise

Return the browned beef and cooked bacon to the pot. Pour in the remaining wine (about 500 ml) and the 500 ml beef stock so meat is mostly covered. Add the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and transfer to a preheated oven at 160°C (325°F) OR keep on very low stove heat. Braise until beef is tender and easily pulled apart with a fork, about 2.25–2.5 hours.

Prepare pearl onions and mushrooms

While the beef braises (during the last 30–40 minutes), melt 1 tbs butter with 1 tbs olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the pearl onions and sprinkle 1 tsp sugar (optional) and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and slightly glazed, about 12–15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm. In the same skillet, add 1 tbs butter and the mushrooms. Sauté over medium-high heat until mushrooms release moisture and then brown, about 6–8 minutes. Season mushrooms with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and set aside.

Skim and reduce sauce

When the beef is tender, remove the pot from oven. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef pieces to a bowl and set aside. Skim off excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid. Place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat and simmer uncovered until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly, about 8–12 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Finish stew

Return the beef, bacon, pearl onions and mushrooms to the pot and gently stir to combine. Warm together over low heat for 5 minutes to meld flavors. Remove and discard thyme stems and bay leaves. Stir in chopped parsley just before serving.

Serve the Boeuf Bourguignon hot over buttered noodles, mashed potatoes, or with crusty bread. Spoon plenty of sauce over meat and garnish with additional parsley if desired.

Leftovers: refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days; flavor often improves overnight. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat.