French Red-Wine Beef Stew
These days, the 25th Winter Olympic Games began in Italy, Milan – Cortina. At the opening ceremony, which impressed, they showed everything they are proud of. From Leonardo da Vinci, through Verdi to Giorgio Armani. All the credit to them, but I didn’t notice anything related to Italian cuisine. Otherwise, they have nothing but pizza and pasta. And mortadella. The French have everything else.
Okay, shoot me …
So despite everything, today I cooked something from the classic French gastronomic tradition – Beef Bourguignon.
Beef Bourguignon (Boeuf Bourguignon) is a classic French stew featuring beef braised in red wine—traditionally a red Burgundy—along with beef stock, carrots, onions, garlic, and a bouquet garni. It is famously garnished with pearl onions, sautéed mushrooms, and crisp bacon lardons. The dish is often “touted as traditional”, but it was first documented in 1867, and “does not appear to be very old”.
The dish has become a standard of French cuisine, notably in Parisian bistros; however, it only began to be considered a Burgundian specialty in the twentieth century.
So we need beef chuck or stew meat, cut into cubes, salt and pepper to taste, pancetta or thick-cut bacon, diced, carrots peeled and sliced, yellow onion diced, fresh thyme leaves dried one, garlic minced, tomato paste, all-purpose flour, dry red wine, bay leaf, onions fresh or frozen, cremini mushrooms.
A dry red wine is essential. While Pinot Noir (the grape of Burgundy) is traditional, other full-bodied reds like Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon also work well.
Brown the meat & bacon first. In a skillet on the stove, cook the diced pancetta or bacon until crisp. Remove. In the same fat, sear the beef cubes until browned on all sides. Remove.
Add olive oil to the same skillet if needed, then sauté the carrots, onion, and thyme for 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste; cook for 1 minute.
Slowly pour in the wine, scraping up browned bits. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced. Add beef and bacon.
Add bay leaf. Season with a little salt and pepper.
Cover for another 2- 3 hours, or until the meat is tender.
About 30 minutes before serving, sauté the mushrooms and pearl onions in a skillet with olive oil, salt, and pepper until browned and add to the dish.
If you want a thicker sauce, add a tablespoon or two of flour.
And that’s it.
As a side dish, mashed potatoes are best.
Notes – if you want a fuller flavor, marinate the cubed beef overnight in wine. And don’t skimp on the wine. Buy another bottle for drinking. If you don’t have pearl onions, you can use diced yellow onions.
And although the French say this is a great winter dish, it’s also perfect for summer evenings.
And last but not least, let your imagination run free.