Old Fashioned Beef Bourguignonne

"Boeuf bourguignonne, as you can guess from the name, is a beef dish from the Burgundy region of France," says Claude Baills, chef/co-owner of Chef's Table in Franklin Lakes. "It's a very slow-cooked stew. The slow cooking is what ensures complete tenderness of the meat. It is truly French comfort food, but it was not well known in the U.S. until Julia Child made it popular in the 1970s."

Chef Claude Baills
Photo by Laura Moss.

Ingredients:

4 lbs. boneless bottom chuck roast                          3 tablespoons tomato puree or paste
8 tablespoons vegetable oil                                      2 tablespoons flour
3 medium white mushrooms, cut in six pieces         2 pinches thyme leaf
1 cup celery diced                                                    2 bay leaves
1 cup carrots diced                                                   3 ounces brandy
1 cup onions diced                                                   3 cups cab. Sauvignon (optional)
12 parsley sprigs tied in a bundle                            3 cups of water or beef broth
½ stick sweet butter                                                salt, fresh ground black pepper
5 small cloves of garlic, smashed                           1 teaspoon kitchen bouquet

Note:  Long slow cooking develops the fine flavor of a perfect beef stew.  It can be prepared well in advance, even the day before serving since reheating improves the flavor. 

Preparation:

Cut the bottom chuck roast or have the butcher do it in 1 ½ inch squares.  In a heavy sauté pan, heat 4 tablespoons of oil.  When hot and lightly smoking, add the lightly floured beef a few pieces at a time.  Brown the pieces on all sides, then remove them to a deep heavy pan like casserole while you thoroughly brown some more pieces.  Continue until all the beef is a good rich brown.  Assemble all the meat in the pan.  Add 3 ounces of brandy over the beef.  Ignite.  When the flames go out, set aside. 

In the Same skillet you used for the meat, add half stick of butter, when hazelnut color, add the diced onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms and garlic;  sauté them until a caramelized color.  Add the vegetables to the beef and then add the tomato paste, flour and with a slotted or wooden spoon, mix all together over a medium fire for a few minutes.  In a small pan, heat 3 cups of red wine.  When boiling, ignite.  When flame goes out, add to the meat along with 3 cups of beef broth or water.  Bring to a boil and add the parsley sprigs, bay leaves  and pinch of thyme.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Line the top of the stew with a round shaped parchment paper cover with a metal cover over it.  Reduce the heat, simmer over very low heat until the meat is fork tender. (about 1 ½ hours).  When ready, with a slotted spoon remove the meat into a casserole or large dish.  Pass the sauce though a strainer.  Discard all vegetables and season to taste.  Add 1 teaspoon of kitchen bouquet to correct the color of the sauce.  Pour the finished sauce over the beef and serve very hot.

Note:  Vegetables can be left with the stew.  Boiled potatoes, fettuccini noodles or rice  can be served with the stew. 
 

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