Beef Bourguignon

Beef Bourguignon is a classic French dish originating from the Burgundy region, known as “Boeuf Bourguignon” in French. It’s a hearty stew made with beef braised in red wine, usually Burgundy wine, however I am not up for paying French prices for wine I cook with so stick with a nice local Pinot Noir or Merlot.
Beef Bourguignon is one of those dishes that screams warmth, and I would suggest having a crack at it on the next drizzly cold day.

Ingredients:

• 1 Kg beef chuck, cut into chunks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 120g bacon or pancetta, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups red wine (preferably Burgundy)
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 bay leaves
• sprigs of thyme (tied together)
• 500g mushrooms, quartered

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C.
2. Season the beef chunks generously with salt and pepper.
3. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Transfer the browned beef to a plate and set aside.
4. In the same pot, add the diced bacon or pancetta and cook until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.
5. In the rendered bacon fat, sauté the diced onion and carrots until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste, and cook for another minute.
6. Return the beef and bacon to the pot. Pour in the red wine and beef broth, and add the bay leaves and thyme. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
7. Cover the pot with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for about 2 to 3 hours, or until the beef is tender and the sauce has thickened.
8. About 30 minutes before the Beef Bourguignon is done, sauté the quartered mushrooms in a separate pan until they are golden brown and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the mushrooms to the pot and continue cooking.
9. Once done, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve hot

we like to put dough dumplings in the pot about 20 minutes before serving and serve on a bed of mashed potatoes.

If you would like to try our Yabby ravioli head here.