Boeuf Bourguignon – Beef Bourguignon
Secondary cuts of meat are my favourite and I love to use them in this dish. Remember, you’ll need to start this the day before so the beef has time to marinate overnight in that gorgeous red wine. You really do need to use a bold red wine for this recipe, it makes all the difference — just make sure you buy an extra bottle to drink with the meal!
Serves 4 – 6
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 kg beef chuck
For marinade
- 1 brown onion, roughly chopped
- 1 carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 stick celery, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, halved
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 litre red wine (burgundy or shiraz)
For stew
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 20 g unsalted butter
- 16 pearl onions, peeled
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 200 g speck, cut into 1 cm lardons
- 2 Tbsp plain flour
- sea salt, cracked black pepper
To serve
- fresh parsley
- pasta, mashed potato or crusty French bread
METHOD
- Place the onion, carrot and celery in a large bowl with the garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Cut beef into large 4 cm (1.5 inch) cubes and add to the bowl with the aromatics. Pour over wine to submerge meat and vegetables, cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Remove beef from marinate and season well with salt and pepper. Reserve marinade liquid — this will be your sauce!
- Heat butter and half the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. When the butter foams add the meat and sear on all sides for a minute or two, you may need to do this in batches. Set meat and any pan juices aside.
- Heat remaining oil in the same pot, add the pearl onions and carrot and cook until golden and caramelised on the edges, 2 – 3 minutes. Add the spec and cook a further 3 minutes.
- Return seared beef and juices to the pan, sprinkle over the flour and stir well. Strain wine from marinade into the pot and discard marinade vegetables.
- Cover the surface of the liquid with a baking paper lid (watch how to make a cartouche in the video at 4:45), bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours until beef is tender enough to pull apart with your fingers.
- Spoon Beef Bourguignon into a dish, sprinkle with parsley and serve with fresh pasta, mashed potato or even a big wedge of crusty French bread.
WATCH THE VIDEO
Recipe as seen in Manu’s French Kitchen. Photo credit Jennifer Jenner
