Beef Bourguignon

If I had several hours in my day to cook I would use a lot more of Julia Child's recipes. With a  lot of her recipes I have to sit there and study it for a good 20 minutes before I even attempt anything! Her Boeuf Bourguignon is divine. It is very time consuming as well but so worth it. My version of Beef Bourguignon is unbelievably delicious and time consuming to make but easier to understand then Julia Childs and takes a little less time then hers. This meal is great if you are having company over and it can be made the day before and just gets better with time.

Ingredients:
2- 3lbs stewing beef
2 tbsp olive oil, separated
3 tbsp flour
salt and pepper to taste
6 slices bacon
1-2 carrots
1 medium onion
3 cups red wine
approx 2 cups beef broth plus 1/2 cup, separated
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, mashed
1 tsp fresh thyme
2 bayleafs, separated
15-25 pearl onions
3 tbsp butter, separated
10 quarted mushrooms
handful of fresh parsley sprigs
3 thyme sprigs

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. In an ovenproof dish (which has a lid) place 1-2 tbsp olive oil and 2-3 lbs stewing beef. You want your stewing beef to be thawed and dry (you can use a papertowel to rub off excess liquid). This will help your meat to brown.

Sprinkle meat with 3 tbsp flour, 1 tsp salt and a 1/4 tsp pepper. Mix together. Place in your oven for 5-10 minutes, stirring meat occasionally.

While your meat is cooking in the oven place a chunk of bacon or approx 6 pieces of bacon into a frying pan and fill pan with 1/2 cup water. Cook bacon for 10 minutes.Remove bacon from pan and dispose of remaining water. Slice your bacon into chunks and return to frying pan with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Set bacon aside.

Remove your meat from the oven once the flour has made a brown crisp on the outside of meat. Turn oven down to 300 degrees

Slice up 1 medium onion and dice up 2 carrots or 1 large carrot. Add to meat 

Add 3 cups of red wine to your meat

Add bacon 

 Top off with enough beef broth to fully cover your meat. Approx 2 cups. 

Chop up 1 tsp fresh thyme and add to beef,

3 tbsp tomato paste, 2 garlic cloves mashed and 1 bay leaf. Place in oven, covered, for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. You want your liquid to be at a simmer not a boil so adjust heat as needed.

While your beef is cooking prepare your pearl onions and mushrooms. To easily remove skin from your pearl onions, boil some water in a pot. Once your water has boiled drop in 15-25 pearl onions and boil for 10 seconds. Drain. Cut off each end of pearl onion, remove skin.

Preheat 2 tbsp of butter in a frying pan. Add pearl onions. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for approx 10 minutes over medium heat until browned

Place 1/2 cup beef broth, a handful of parsley sprigs, about 3 sprigs of fresh thyme and a bayleaf into onions. Cover and simmer slowly for 40-50 minutes until the onions are tender and the liquid has evaporated.

Remove the herbs and set onions aside

In the same frying pan you were just using, add another 1-2 tbsp butter. Once the butter starts to foam add quarted mushrooms. Toss and shake the pan 4-5 minutes. As soon as they begin to brown, remove from heat.

Once your beef is almost done, prepare your garlic mashed potatoes or pasta

Remove your beef from oven if it is not thick enough rapidly boil it down on your stovetop. If you find your liquid if too thick add a little extra wine or beef broth until it is your desired consistency. Remove your bay leaf. Add onions and mushrooms. Stir

Serve over top of your mashed potatos or your pasta of choice