Boeuf bourguignon

Cook it at home: Beef bourguignon, wine-country style

Beef braised in red wine until it falls apart, with bacon, mushrooms and small onions cooked on their own so each tastes of itself. Charlie Palmer's bourguignon is the signature dish at Healdsburg Bar & Grill. This is a classic home version that works with a Sonoma pinot noir or zinfandel.

Pans and tools

• Large Dutch oven with a lid
• Skillet
• Tongs
• Skimming spoon

You’ll need

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) beef chuck, cut in 2-inch (5 cm) cubes and patted dry
• 6 oz (170 g) thick bacon, cut in 1/2-inch (1 cm) strips
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine, such as Sonoma pinot noir
• 2 cups (480 ml) beef stock
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 3 sprigs thyme and 2 bay leaves, tied together
• 1 lb (450 g) small pearl onions, peeled
• 1 lb (450 g) cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 3 tbsp butter
• Salt, black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• Mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles, to serve

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 325F (165C). Season the beef well with salt and pepper and leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until the fat runs and the strips are crisp. Lift them out and keep them. Leave the fat.
3. Raise the heat to medium-high. Brown the beef in 3 batches, about 2 to 3 minutes a side, until a deep brown crust forms. Do not crowd the pot. Move each batch to a plate.
4. Lower the heat to medium. Add the carrot and diced onion and cook 6 minutes until soft. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 2 minutes until it darkens, then stir in the flour for 1 minute.
5. Pour in the wine, scraping up the browned bits. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes to cook off the sharpness.
6. Add the stock, garlic, herb bundle, beef and half the bacon. Bring to a simmer, cover and braise in the oven 2 1/2 hours, until a cube pulls apart with a fork.
7. While it braises, melt 1 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat and brown the pearl onions with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes until golden, then add a splash of water, cover and cook 5 more minutes until tender. Set aside.
8. In the same skillet, melt the remaining butter over high heat and cook the mushrooms in two batches for 5 to 6 minutes each until deep golden. Season at the end.
9. Pull the pot from the oven. Skim the fat. If the sauce is thin, simmer it uncovered on the stove for 10 to 15 minutes until it coats a spoon. Taste and adjust salt.
10. Fold in the onions and mushrooms and simmer 5 minutes. Scatter the remaining bacon and parsley and serve over potatoes or noodles.

Contains: ['gluten', 'dairy', 'sulfites'].

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