French Comfort Food Season

Written By Francis Pascal

The polls are in! You asked and its here: a hearty recipe for a warm dinner to share with friends and family this weekend. It’s more and more satisfying every time I make it, and something I look forward to every season.

Beef Bourguignon. A classic French stew for the fall and winter that is not your common pot roast. This recipe originates in Burgundy and resembles what you may recognize as a traditional beef stew - but is richer in flavor, due to the hearty amount of burgundy wine and added mushrooms. This stew is often served with mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

If you’re a fan of stew, this recipe should be at the top of your list.

Bon apétit!

Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds of top chuck roast, cut into bite-sized pieces

  • 4 slices bacon, sliced thin

  • 1 onion, medium dice

  • 3 carrots, sliced

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 cup red wine (Burgundy or pinot noir)

  • 2 cups beef broth

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme

  • 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1 pound mushrooms, quartered

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish



Instructions

  1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, render the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove bacon from pot and set aside, leaving the bacon grease in the pot.

  2. In the same pot, add the beef stew meat and cook until browned on all sides. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.

  3. Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and minced garlic to the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are slightly softened. Add the tomato paste and cook on medium, stirring often to remove the bitterness from the tomato paste.

  4. Return the cooked bacon and beef to the pot. Deglaze the pan with red wine and reduce the wine to a syrup consistency.

  5. Add the beef broth, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves. Stir well to combine.

  6. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low.

  7. Cover and let it simmer for about 2 hours, or until the beef is tender.

  8. In a separate pan, sauté the mushrooms with butter, salt and pepper until they are golden brown. Add the mushrooms to the pot and let it simmer for another 30 minutes.

  9. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

  10. Serve the beef bourguignon hot over mashed potatoes or crusty bread. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Enjoy your homemade beef bourguignon!

 

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Francis Pascal
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