Northwest Wine - Online Magazine
Boeuf Bourguignon
Nothing says French 'comfort food' like this classic Burgundian beef stew. Red wine, cheap meat, mushrooms, carrots and onions. Dip a hunk of bread in it and go to town.
Here's what you do:
1. Cut bacon into small strips. Simmer bacon for 10 minutes in water. Dry bacon. Cook bacon in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan with the olive oil at moderate heat for 2 or 3 minutes. Remove bacon.
2. Pat the beef pieces dry and set aside in a bowl. Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. When the butter is hot, increase the heat to medium-high and add the meat and onions. Cook, turning the meat frequently, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the meat is well seared and browned on all sides. Transfer the meat to a bowl.
3. Decrease the heat to medium-low and sprinkle the flour over the onions in the pot. Stir well to coat the onions with the flour and meat drippings. Increase the heat to medium and add the wine, stock, shallot, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, carrots and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well to incorporate all of the ingredients. If you like bell peppers, throw them in here as well. Return the meat and bacon to the pot, cover, and simmer over very low heat for 3 hours, until the beef is tender and the sauce has thickened. Serve immediately.
Notes: Beef Bourguignon is traditionally served with boiled potatoes though we usually just warm up some rustic bread that was rubbed with roasted garlic cloves. When wild mushrooms are in season, I sauté some mushrooms in butter and toss them in at the last moment before stirring and serving. A little trick to make the sauce shiny and unctuous is to strain out the meat and veggies then heat up the remaining sauce and whisk in a few tablespoons of cold butter chunks. You can also thicken the sauce by stirring in a few tablespoons at a time of bread crumbs. Serves 4 to 6.
Source: Inspired by a recipe from Tadich Grill - San Francisco, CA
Wine Pairings
Classically paired with Pinot noir, you might be unconventional and try a medium bodied Merlot or Syrah
Ingredient List
Here's what you need:
- 2 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into chunks
- 4 ounces bacon
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 3 yellow onions, finely chopped
- 2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup Pinot noir wine
- 1 cup brown veal or beef stock (try a demi-glaze as well)
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley or 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 pound of mushrooms, sautéed
- (optional red or green bell peppers, diced)
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