BEEF BOURGUIGNON
8 ounces bacon, coarsely chopped
3 pounds well-trimmed boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch
cubes (from 7-bone chuck roast)
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 pounds boiling onions, peeled
3/4 pound large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
12 large garlic cloves, peeled (left whole)
3 cups canned beef broth
1/2 cup Cognac or brandy
2 750-ml bottles red Burgundy wine
1 1/4 pounds mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped fresh thyme or 2 tablespoons dried
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Preheat oven to 325°F. Sauté bacon in heavy large
Dutch oven over high heat until brown and crisp,
about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper
towels. Season beef generously with salt
and pepper; coat with 1/3 cup flour, using all of flour. Working
in 3 batches, brown beef in same pot
over high heat, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer meat to large
bowl. Add onions and carrots to same
pot and sauté until light brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic
and sauté 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to
bowl with beef.
Add 1 cup broth and Cognac to pot; boil until reduced to glaze,
scraping up browned bits, about 8
minutes. Return meat and vegetables and their juices to pot. Add
wine, mushrooms, thyme, sugar,
tomato paste and 2 cups broth. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally.
Cover pot and place in oven. Cook
until beef is tender, about 1 hour 20 minutes.
Ladle liquid from stew into large saucepan. Spoon off fat.
Boil liquid until reduced to 2 3/4 cups, about
40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour liquid back over
beef and vegetables. (Can be prepared 1
day ahead. Cover and chill.) Rewarm over low heat before serving.
8 Servings
Bon Appétit
May 1994
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