As we have already mastered its chicken-based cousin, the time has come to get to grips with the equally satisfying Beef Bourguignon, or Beef Burgundy for those with an aversion to vowels. In a similar fashion, we will impart the rich flavours of a strong-tasting red wine to make a wholesome and comforting slow cooked stew. So, without clogging up the recipe with any more whimsical meanderings, lets get straight to cooking up an Incredible Beef Bourguignon!
Incredible Beef Bourguignon
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 500g (1lb) Stewing Beef (Chuck, Skirt, or Flank)
- 2g (½tsp) Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 6g (1tsp) Salt
- 4g (1tbsp) Fresh Thyme
- 4g (2 Cloves) Crushed Garlic
- 500g (1 pint) Red Wine (For authenticity use a Pinot Noir)
For the Main Stew
- 15g (1tbsp) Olive Oil
- 100g (3oz) Bacon
- 200g (7oz) Shallots (Whole, but skinned)
- 200g (7oz) White Onion (Roughly Chopped)
- 200g (7oz) Carrots (Chopped into large chunks)
- 50g (2oz) All Purpose Flour
- 30g (1oz) Red Wine Vinegar
- 60g (2oz) Tomato Puree
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 4g (1tbsp) Fresh Thyme (Finely Chopped)
- 30g (1oz) Unsalted Butter
- 200g (7oz) Button Mushrooms (Halved)
- 100g (3oz) Red Wine
Instructions
For the Marinade
- Chop 500g of Beef into big hearty chunks around 2½cm (1 inch) cubes, then rub in 2g of Freshly Ground Pepper and 4g of good quality Salt
- Next, place the beef in a medium-sized bowl, along with 500g of Red Wine, 4g of Crushed Garlic, and 4g of Fresh Thyme
- Give the thing a brief stir, then cover and leave in the fridge for approximately 24 hours
When You're Ready for Stew
- Remove the Beef from the fridge, and and run it through a colander, being sure to save the wine for later
- Place the Beef on a kitchen paper lined plate, discarding the Thyme and Garlic. Then pat it roughly dry with some more paper. In addition, run the wine through a fine mesh sieve to remove any bits
- Next, chop 100g of Bacon into short, thin strips, then fry on a medium heat in 15g of Olive Oil. Once brown and crispy, transfer to a kitchen paper-lined plate
- Using the same oil and pan, fry the previously marinated and dried beef until nicely browned, then also transfer that to a paper-lined plate
- Again, using the same oil, throw in 200g of peeled Shallots, 200g of Roughly Chopped Onion, and 200g of chunky Carrot pieces until lightly browned
- While all that is happening, place the Beef, bacon, and the Red Wine from the marinade in a large mixing bowl. Then sift in 50g of All Purpose Flour, and stir until entirely incorporated
- When fried, add the Shallots, Onion, and Carrot to the bowl, along with 30g of Red Wine Vinegar, 60g of Tomato Puree, 4g of chopped Fresh Thyme, and 3 Bay Leaves
- Give the whole thing a big stir, before transferring it all to a hefty casserole dish, covering with a lid or tin foil, and cooking in the centre of the oven at 180℃ for a solid 3 hours, until the beef becomes fall-apart tender
- When satisfied that the Beef has reached its melt-in-the-mouth stage, chop 200g of Button Mushrooms in half, and fry in 30g of Butter until golden brown, then stir into the Beef Bourguignon, along with an additional 100g of red wine
- Serve with your favourite form of potato, or a slab of tasty homemade bread, and dream of France
Nutrition
The Secret to Making a Great Beef Bourguignon
Pick a Decent Bottle of Plonk
As its moniker would suggest, Beef Bourguignon gets its name from the Burgundy region of France, famed the world over for its achievements in the skill of winemaking. This part of the world, generally specialises in full-bodied bottles of plonk famed for their deep and powerful flavours. As such, cooking inclined folks should seek out a decent bottle of wine that has what it takes to shine through the many flavours contained in the dish. As a starting point, a good bottle of Pinot Noir will do the job, nothing too fancy, but a wine you’d happily drink on its own.
Don’t Overpower the Flavours with Beef Stock
As a beef dish, you can be forgiven for thinking a beef stock will serve as the flavour enhancer of choice. However, due to its overpowering nature, it can quite easily mask the taste of the wine that this dish is so famous for. For this reason, I would strongly advise using a lighter stock such as chicken or vegetable.
Cook it Until the Meat is Ready
One thing I have learned from my experiences cooking in different parts of the world is that beef cooking times can vary depending on where you are. As a result, any budding gastronaut should keep an eye on their meat so that it has reached the perfect consistency when the time comes to devour it. Generally speaking, you should cook it in the oven for 3 hours first, then check it at 30 minute increments and remove it from the oven when it becomes melt-in-the-mouth soft.
What to Serve with Beef Bourguignon
As a traditional European style stew, hungry folks should serve their Beef Bourguignon with a round of vegetables and a side of potatoes and/or crusty bread. Therefore, those cooking up a feast should consider pairing it with some Amazing Mashed Potato, Crunchy Garlic Roast Potatoes, or Classic Brown Bread.
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