Beef Bourguignon French

Ingredients

• •1 kg Beef chuck
• •450 g Beef
• •200 g Bacon
• •750 ml Red wine
• •1 teaspoon Salt
• •250 g Pearl onions
• •0.5 teaspoon Black pepper
• •2 tablespoons Olive oil
• •300 g Carrots
• •3 cloves Garlic
• •400 g Mushrooms
• •1 medium Onion
• •2 tablespoons Tomato paste
• •480 ml Beef stock
• •3 sprigs Thyme
• •2 pcs Bay leaves

Instructions

1. 1

   Pat 1kg beef chuck dry with paper towels and cut into 2-inch cubes. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over high heat until smoking. Sear beef in batches - don't move them for 3-4 minutes to develop a deep brown crust. Set aside.

   💡 Chef's note: Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly. Set out butter and eggs 30 minutes ahead.

2. 2

   Reduce heat to medium. Add 200g thick-cut bacon lardons to the same pot. Cook for 6-8 minutes until crispy and fat is rendered. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat. Sauté 4 large carrots (cut into 1-inch pieces) for 5 minutes.

   💡 Brown in batches to avoid crowding the pot.

3. 3

   Add 1 large onion (quartered) and 4 garlic cloves to the pot. Cook for 3 minutes until fragrant. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons flour over the vegetables and stir for 2 minutes until raw flour smell dissipates (this eliminates the pasty taste).

   💡 Use a wine you'd drink - cooking wine tastes flat.

4. 4

   Pour in 750ml full-bodied red wine (Burgundy or Pinot Noir), scraping up all the browned bits. Add 500ml beef stock, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 4 fresh thyme sprigs, and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.

   💡 Layer aromatics for depth - bay leaves, thyme, and garlic.

5. 5

   Cover and cook for 2-2.5 hours until beef is fork-tender (internal temp should reach 93°C/200°F). Check every 30 minutes and add more stock if needed to keep meat mostly submerged.

   💡 Braise low and slow until fork-tender, about 3 hours.

6. 6

   While beef cooks, sauté 250g cremini mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter until golden. Add to the stew along with 200g pearl onions during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

   💡 Rest before shredding - carryover cooking continues.

7. 7

   For the garnish: chop 3 tablespoons fresh parsley. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles with crusty bread.

   💡 Final plating step - ensure presentation is appealing.