Next Level Beef Bourguignon Recipes

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Steps:

• For the bouquet garni: Wrap the herbs in cheesecloth and secure with butcher's twine, leaving about 6 inches of excess string. Set aside.
• For the beef bourguignon: Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until browned but not fully rendered, 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate.
• Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Season the beef well with salt and pepper, then toss it in the flour to coat, shaking off the excess flour. Add the oil to the Dutch oven, heat until shimmering, and then brown the beef in batches. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the browned pieces to a large bowl.
• Add the mushrooms to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned, about 4 minutes. If the pan looks dry, add more olive oil. Push the mushrooms to the sides of the pan, add the onions and cook until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Season again with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Carefully tie the bouquet garni to the handle of the pot and drop the bouquet into the vegetables (or simply toss the whole bouquet into the pot). Add the carrots and tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the red wine, increase the heat, and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring up the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the broth and 1 cup water and return the meat and bacon to the pan. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
• Add the pearl onions to the pot and cook, partially covered, until the meat is very tender when pierced with a fork, 1 hour more. Remove the bouquet garni. Season the stew to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley leaves to serve.

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Steps:

• Season the beef with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the flour and toss to evenly coat.
• Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pot. Add the beef and brown in small batches, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
• Add the carrots, onions and celery and season with 2 teaspoons each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook an additional 1 minute. Add the bay leaves. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the pearl onions, thyme and reserved bacon and beef. Add the wine plus 1 to 2 cups of water (enough to cover the beef) and bring to a simmer. Simmer, covered, until the beef is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Add the mushrooms to the stew. In a small bowl, use a fork to combine the softened butter with the remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Push the flour mixture through a strainer into the stew. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook until the broth is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
• Ladle into individual bowls over mashed potatoes and serve.

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.
• Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.
• Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.
• Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.
• To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven. Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut clove of garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley.

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Steps:

• Tip 1.6kg braising steak, cut into large chunks, into a large bowl with 3 bay leaves, a small bunch of thyme, 2 bottles cheap red wine and some pepper, then cover and leave in the fridge overnight.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Place a colander over another large bowl and strain the marinated meat, keeping the wine.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan, then brown the meat in batches, transferring to a plate once browned. When all the meat is browned, pour a little wine into the now-empty frying pan and bubble to release any caramelised bits from the pan.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large casserole and fry 3 large or 6 normal carrots, cut into large chunks, and 2 roughly chopped onions until they start to colour. Stir in 3 tbsp plain flour for 1 min, then add 1 tbsp tomato purée.
• Add the beef and any juices, the wine from the frying pan and the rest of the wine and herbs. Season and bring to a simmer. Give everything a good stir, then cover.
• Transfer to the oven and bake for 2 hrs until the meat is really tender. Cool. Will freeze for up to 3 months.
• To serve, defrost completely overnight in the fridge if frozen, then place on a low heat to warm through.
• Meanwhile, heat a small knob of butter in a frying pan and add 300g bacon lardons and 500g peeled pearl onions or small shallots. Sizzle for about 10 mins until the bacon starts to crisp and the onions soften and colour.
• Add 400g halved mushrooms and fry for another 5 mins, then stir everything into the stew and heat for 10 mins more. Serve scattered with chopped parsley.

NEXT LEVEL BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Steps:

• A day or two ahead, cut the meat into large 5cm chunks. Put in a glass bowl with the garlic, star anise, thyme, bay and plenty of seasoning. Mix everything together well.
• Pour the wine into a large saucepan (keep the lid to hand and turn off any extractor fans). Bring to a boil, then, at arms-length, ignite with a long match. Wait for the flames to burn off (there will be quite a few), then boil for 5 mins more. If you don't feel comfortable setting the flames alight, just boil the wine. Pour the wine over the meat, then cover and cool slightly before chilling overnight or for up to 36 hrs.
• Lift the beef out of the marinade and dry on kitchen paper. Heat half the oil in a large casserole. Working in batches, brown the beef for 10 mins, adding more oil if needed (watch out - this will splutter). Once browned, transfer the beef chunks to a plate.
• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 3. Add a touch more oil to the dish, then tip in the veg and gently brown for 10 mins. Use a wooden spatula to scrape any sticky bits off the bottom. Scatter over the flour and cook for 2 mins, then stir in the tomato purée. Add the meat and any juices from the plate back in, then pour over the marinade with all the aromatics. Bring everything to a simmer and give it a good stir, then cover and place in the oven for 3½-4 hrs, stirring every hour or so until the meat is very tender. You now have a delicious rustic stew that can be served as is, but keep going to take it to the next level.
• Leave the stew to cool, then carefully tip into a sieve or colander set over a bowl. Lift the meat and carrots back into the casserole, then squish everything else in the sieve so that you extract the juices and some of the garlic gets squished through. Simmer this sauce in a pan for 10 mins or until thickened to your liking, then pour over the meat.
• While the meat is braising, heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan. Fry the bacon and onions for 15 mins until the bacon is crisp and the onions have softened and browned. Turn the heat up, add the mushrooms and fry until cooked. Tip the contents of the frying pan into the casserole, stir and simmer for a few mins. Scatter over the parsley, then bring the dish to the table and serve with the carb of your choice.

BEEF BOURGUIGNON 2

Steps:

• Marinade:
• Stew:
• For the marinade: Combine the garlic, bay leaves, carrots, celery, onions and wine in a large bowl or container. Add the beef; cover and let sit in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight. (This is a really important step: it makes a huge flavor difference.)
• For the stew: Remove the beef from the marinade. Strain the veggies and bay leaves from the marinade and discard. Reserve 2 cups of the marinade.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Coat a large, wide pan or Dutch oven with olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and toss with the flour; do not flour the beef until you're ready to brown it. Add the flour-coated beef to the hot pan, but be sure to not crowd the pan; you will need to work in four batches. Brown the meat well on all sides, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the pan to a baking sheet.
• After the first two batches, deglaze the pot with 1/2 cup of the reserved marinade, scraping up any browned bits. Drain the liquid into a small bowl. Add more olive oil to the pan to coat and cook the remaining two batches of meat. Add the meat to the baking sheet. Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup marinade, scraping up any browned bits.
• Add the bacon and cook until it gets brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Toss in the mushrooms, carrots, celery, garlic and onions, and season with salt. Cook until the mixture starts to soften and becomes very aromatic, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup marinade and deglaze the pan, stirring up any browned bits, 1 minute. Add the beef. Stir to combine and cook until the wine has reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add enough of the beef stock to just cover the surface of the beef. Toss in the bay leaves and thyme bundle. Cover the pan, bring the liquid to a boil and put in the oven.
• Cook the beef for 2 hours. During the last hour of cooking time, add the potatoes. Cover the pan with the lid and put the stew back in the oven to cook for an additional hour.
• Remove the pot from the oven and skim off any excess grease from the surface of the stew. Garnish with the chives and serve with crusty bread to sop up all the sauce.

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium- high heat, then add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a large plate.
• Meanwhile, dry the beef cubes with paper towels and season them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot bacon drippings, turning to brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes per batch. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned.
• Add the thyme, carrots, onion and tomato paste to the pot. Toss in the fat in the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Put the beef and bacon back in the pot with their juices. Add the wine plus enough beef stock to almost cover the meat. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
• Put the butter and flour in a small saucepan over medium heat and whisk together constantly until the raw flavor of the flour cooks out, 2 to 3 minutes. Put the beef Bourguignon over medium heat, stir in the butter mixture and cook until the stew thickens and the meat is very tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Remove the thyme stems and serve.

NEXT LEVEL BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Steps:

• A day or two ahead, cut the meat into large 5cm chunks. Put in a glass bowl with the garlic, star anise, thyme, bay and plenty of seasoning. Mix everything together well.
• Pour the wine into a large saucepan (keep the lid to hand and turn off any extractor fans). Bring to a boil, then, at arms-length, ignite with a long match. Wait for the flames to burn off (there will be quite a few), then boil for 5 mins more. If you don't feel comfortable setting the flames alight, just boil the wine. Pour the wine over the meat, then cover and cool slightly before chilling overnight or for up to 36 hrs.
• Lift the beef out of the marinade and dry on kitchen paper. Heat half the oil in a large casserole. Working in batches, brown the beef for 10 mins, adding more oil if needed (watch out - this will splutter). Once browned, transfer the beef chunks to a plate.
• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 3. Add a touch more oil to the dish, then tip in the veg and gently brown for 10 mins. Use a wooden spatula to scrape any sticky bits off the bottom. Scatter over the flour and cook for 2 mins, then stir in the tomato purée. Add the meat and any juices from the plate back in, then pour over the marinade with all the aromatics. Bring everything to a simmer and give it a good stir, then cover and place in the oven for 3½-4 hrs, stirring every hour or so until the meat is very tender. You now have a delicious rustic stew that can be served as is, but keep going to take it to the next level.
• Leave the stew to cool, then carefully tip into a sieve or colander set over a bowl. Lift the meat and carrots back into the casserole, then squish everything else in the sieve so that you extract the juices and some of the garlic gets squished through. Simmer this sauce in a pan for 10 mins or until thickened to your liking, then pour over the meat.
• While the meat is braising, heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan. Fry the bacon and onions for 15 mins until the bacon is crisp and the onions have softened and browned. Turn the heat up, add the mushrooms and fry until cooked. Tip the contents of the frying pan into the casserole, stir and simmer for a few mins. Scatter over the parsley, then bring the dish to the table and serve with the carb of your choice.