Not Your Mamas Beef Bourguignon Recipes

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or heavy based pot. Sauté the bacon over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until crisp and browned. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large dish and set aside.
• Pat dry beef with paper towel; sear in batches in the hot oil/bacon fat until browned on all sides. Remove to the dish with the bacon.
• In the remaining oil/bacon fat, sauté the carrots and diced onions until softened, (about 3 minutes), then add 4 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Drain excess fat (leave about 1 tablespoon in the pan) and return the bacon and beef back into the pot; season with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper. Sprinkle with flour, toss well and cook for 4-5 minutes to brown.
• Add the pearl onions, wine and enough stock so that the meat is barely covered. Then add the tomato paste, bullion and herbs. Bring to a simmer on the stove.
• Cover, transfer to lower part of the oven and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is fall apart tender (adjust the heat so that the liquid simmers very slowly).
• In the last 5 minutes of cooking time, prepare your mushrooms:Heat the butter in a medium-sized skillet/pan over heat. When the foam subsides, add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), then add in the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, while shaking the pan occasionally to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Once they are browned, set aside.
• Place a colander over a large pot (I do this in my clean kitchen sink). Remove the casserole from the oven and carefully empty its contents into the colander (you want to collect the sauce only). Discard the herbs
• Return the beef mixture back into the dutch oven or pot. Add the mushrooms over the meat.
• Remove any fat off the sauce( if any) and simmer for a minute or two, skimming off any additional fat which rises to the surface.
• You should be left with about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon lightly. If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock. If the sauce is too thin, boil it over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until reduced to the right consistency.
• Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper, if desired. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.
• If you are serving immediately, simmer the beef bourguignon for 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice or noodles.
• To serve the following day, allow the casserole to cool completely, cover and refrigerate.The day of serving, remove from refrigerator for at least an hour before reheating. Place over medium-low heat and let simmer gently for about 10 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.

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.

SLOW COOKER BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Steps:

• Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef stew meat and cook until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Brown beef in batches if necessary, making sure to not overcrowd the pan, otherwise the beef won't brown. Remove browned beef from the skillet and place in the slow cooker.
• Add onion to the skillet. Cook and stir until softened and beginning to take some color, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer onion to the slow cooker.
• Place skillet back on medium-high heat and pour in half of the wine. Bring the wine to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and carefully pour into the slow cooker along with the remaining wine. Add carrots, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
• Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

CLASSIC BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Steps:

• Tie the rosemary and thyme together using the chives to make a bouquet garni. Set aside.
• Trim the fat from the beef roast and cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch cubes. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over high heat until hot, taking care not to burn the oil. Carefully add the meat and brown on all sides.
• Once the meat is nicely browned and the liquid is gone from the pan, add the flour and toss to coat the meat.
• Slowly add the cognac, stirring constantly and scraping up the yummy bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Gradually add the wine, stirring constantly and continuing to scrape the pan to loosen the browned bits. Add the beef stock, tomato paste, and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until most of the alcohol is cooked off and the sauce is thickened. Cover and simmer over low heat for one hour.
• Cut the onion into large pieces (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches square). Add the pinch of sugar, onion, mushrooms, garlic, and carrots to the pot. Stir, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until the vegetables and meat are tender.
• Remove the bouquet garni. Season with the salt and pepper to taste.
• Enjoy!