French: Boeuf Bourguignon (Beef Stew)

Recipe by Paul Young <info@cooking-with-paul.com>

(serves 6)

Ingredients:

• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced thick
• 24 baby yellow potatoes  
• ½ lb sliced bacon
• 3 lbs lean boneless beef (stew meat, chuck roast, brisket, etc)
• ½ bottle red wine (Burgundy or Pinot Noir preferred)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons butter (½ stick)
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms (pearl oyster or baby bella preferred)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon beef base
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Kitchen Bouquet (for color)
• ¼ cup Cognac
• Chopped parsley for garnish

Procedure:

1. Boil potatoes and carrots in salted water for 20 minutes, drain and set aside
2. In a large skillet, cook the bacon until slightly crisp
3. Remove the bacon, but reserve the grease
4. Cut bacon into ½-inch chunks, set aside
5. In the same saucepan, add the beef and brown on all sides (about 10 minutes)
6. Transfer the browned beef to a pressure cooker, but reserve the grease and pan drippings
7. Add red wine and salt to the pressure cooker and cook under pressure for at least 30 minutes (or until meat is fork tender)
8. While the beef is cooking, make the sauce: add onions and saute until soft
9. Add the butter and mushrooms, saute until mushrooms start to secrete their juices
10. Add the minced garlic, saute briefly (about 1 minute)
11. Slowly sprinkle in the flour a little at a time and cook under low heat stirring constantly for about 2 minutes (do not let the flour burn); turn off heat
12. When the beef is done, transfer the meat to a bowl; reserve the wine broth
13. Add beef base, tomato paste, and 3 cups of the reserved wine broth to the skillet; mix thoroughly
14. Adjust the seasoning: add salt, black pepper and more beef base to taste (if needed)
15. Adjust the thickness: add more wine broth to thin the sauce (if needed); add more tomato paste to thicken the sauce (if needed)
16. Adjust color: add Kitchen Bouquet to darken the broth
17. Transfer cooked beef, carrots, potatoes, and bacon into the skillet and warm the stew under low heat while stirring constantly (about 5 minutes)
18. Finish the stew with a splash of cognac
19. To serve: garnish with chopped parsley