Boeuf En Daube - Classic French Beef Burgundy Stew (Bourguignon)
photo by BecR2400
- Ready In:
- 25hrs
- Ingredients:
- 23
- Serves:
-
6-8
ingredients
- 3 1⁄2 lbs boneless prime lean stewing beef, trimmed and cubed in 2-inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons cognac
- 2 whole cloves
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 12 ounces white pearl onions, peeled
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed dried sage
- 1 teaspoon crushed dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried orange peel, finely chopped
- 1 (750 ml) bottle Burgundy wine
- 12 ounces fresh baby bella mushrooms, halved (can use button mushrooms or 2 oz. dried porcini cepes)
- 3 ounces cured unsmoked bacon such as pancetta, diced (regular bacon or lardons is fine)
- kosher salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 2 cups beef stock or 2 cups beef consomme
- 1 pinch sugar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup diced tomato (optional)
- 10 whole pimiento-stuffed green olives (optional)
directions
- In a large non-reactive bowl, combine beef, Cognac, cloves, garlic, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf, sage, thyme, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, orange peel, wine, and mushrooms. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days, stirring from time to time.
- Bring the meat and vegetables to room temperature. Drain, reserving the marinade.
- Blot the beef and veggies dry with paper towels.
- Preheat oven to 325F/175°C.
- In a large heavy oven proof dish (such as a cast iron dutch oven or Le Creuset), fry the bacon over medium heat until it renders its fat, about 3-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to paper towels and reserve.
- Working in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, add the meat and vegetables to the fat in the pan, and brown them on all sides over medium heat, seasoning with salt and pepper as they brown, about 7 minutes per batch.
- Transfer to a platter. Add the marinade to the pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced by one-third, about 8 minutes. Skim off the foam from the surface. Add the stock or consomme, and simmer another 8 minutes, until reduced again by one-third. Stir in the pinch of sugar and the tomato paste, (and add the diced tomatoes and green olives now, if using).
- Return the meat, vegetables and reserved bacon to the pot. Cover and bake in the oven until the meat is tender, 2 1/2-3 hours. -OR- alternately, at this stage you can cook in the crock-pot on LOW heat 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH heat 4 to 6 hours.
- Serve with a rustic bread for mopping the juices, along with a green salad and a platter of cheeses.
- Freezes and reheats beautifully. Leftovers will make a lovely Cottage-Shepherd's Pie a la Provencale, see my recipe #355446.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
<p>Married to my sweetheart for almost forty years and we have two wonderful children who are grown and have flown the coop. Also, we have been blessed with a wonderful son-in-law and beautiful daughter-in-law, plus FIVE grandchildren: two beautiful granddaughters ages five and eight, and three sweet adorable little grandsons ages 2 months, 2 years and 3 years. My husband and I share a combination of English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Dutch, Swiss, Polish, Austrian, German and French heritage, and our son-in-law and daughter-in-law are both Hispanic. We've traveled extensively to many countries abroad (we lived in Germany), and have traveled and lived in several states here in the U.S.A. Many of the recipes I post here are influenced by our combined heritage or from our travels, or they are old family favorites that I want to share with you. I hope you enjoy! Have been to culinary school with many years of cooking (mostly for my family) under my belt, so know my way around a kitchen. And I'm very lucky to have the best sous chef in the world, dddddh! One of my favorite chefs of all time is Jacques Pepin! I have several of his cookbooks, and enjoy watching his television cooking show Fast Food My Way. Another top favorite is Julia Child (of course!). A few other chefs I read/enjoy watching on t.v. are: Giada At Home, Ina Garten's The Barefoot Contessa, Nigella Lawson's Nigella Bites, and Patti's Mexican Kitchen, and many more. On my bucket list is dining at Thomas Keller's establishment The French Laundry in Napa Valley, California... as well as Alice Waters' Chez Panisse in Berkeley, and the James Beard award winning Tartine Bakery and Cafe in San Francisco. One day!! Hobbies/Interests: Decorating with fresh flowers and herbs from the garden is my passion, and brings me deep joy! It's really hard to beat!! I love connecting with others who enjoy the same. Gardening, decorating, sewing, music, dancing, film, and reading are also up there. Spending quality time with my grandchildren, family, and friends (and cooking holiday meals!). Currently, a newfound passion has been so richly rewarding for me: genealogical research. I heart ancestry dot com. And last but certainly not least, I absolutely LOVE cats--we have two half-Siamese fur babies (cats) that allow us to live here!! A Note of Thanks~ I try to personally thank everyone who kindly makes and reviews my recipes, but sometimes I am busy, late, or may forget. Please know that I am always humbled that you would try one of my recipes, and I enjoy reading the reviews and seeing all the pretty photographs. Thanks so much! </p>