Not Your Mamas Beef Bourguignon Recipes

BEEF BOURGUIGNON I

Steps:

• For marinade: In a large bowl, combine the wine, cognac, onions, carrots, parsley, bay leaf, garlic, peppercorns and salt. Mix well and add the cubed beef. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• For Bourguignon: Strain the meat from the vegetables and marinade; reserve marinade. Dry meat with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the meat and saute for 10 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Transfer meat to a separate medium bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• In the same skillet, add the bacon and saute until lightly browned. Transfer the bacon to the bowl with the meat. Drain the skillet and return it to the heat. Pour a cup of marinade into the skillet to deglaze the skillet, scraping the bottom to loosen up all the little bits. Return this liquid to the reserved marinade.
• Heat the remaining oil in the skillet. Add the onion and carrot from the marinade, along with the additional onion that you've chopped, and saute for 5 minutes, or until tender. Transfer this mixture to the bowl with the meat and bacon, again using a slotted spoon, and return skillet to the heat. Add the flour to the skillet, combining with the oil and stir until well mixed and brown, about 2 minutes.
• Now add the tomato paste, garlic, beef broth, reserved marinade and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and whisk to remove any flour lumps. Add this to the meat and vegetable mixture. Place entire mixture into a 9x13 baking dish.
• Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 3 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• About 15 minutes before meat is done baking, melt butter in the skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. When meat is done, add the mushrooms to the meat mixture, stir well and let sit for about 15 minutes.

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.

NOT YOUR MAMA'S BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Steps:

• In pan, brown onions and mushrooms in butter, remove from pan and set aside.
• Add beef cubes in batches, browning well on all sides. Set aside.
• To remaining fat in pot, stir in flour. Add stock, wine and tomato paste. Bring to boil, stirring as sauce thickens.
• Add garlic, salt, thyme, bay leaf and pepper.
• Place meat and sauce in large casserole. Cover and bake at 350 F for 2 hours. Add onions for last 30 minutes, and mushrooms for last 15 minutes.
• Top with parsley before serving.