(Almost) Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon
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(Almost) Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon Cuts like rump roast or chuck roast work best in this hearty French stew. This recipe has been adapted from Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, and Simone Beck’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I altered a few steps to make this recipe a little less time consuming for the modern chef. As Julia Child notes before the original recipe: “Carefully done, and perfectly flavored, it is certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes ever concocted by man.” FOR THE STEW: 6 pieces thick‐cut bacon, diced 3½ Tbs. olive oil 3 pounds stewing beef (chuck roast, top or bottom round) cut into 2‐inch cubes 1 carrot, sliced 1 onion, sliced Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons flour 3 cups red wine, young & full‐bodied (like Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone or Burgundy) 2½ to 3½ cups brown beef stock 1 Tbs. tomato paste 2 cloves mashed garlic ½ tsp. thyme 1 bay leaf 1 (16‐ounce) package frozen pearl onions 2‐3 Tbs. fresh parsley, minced, for serving FOR THE MUSHROOMS: 1½ tablespoons butter 1½ olive oil 1 pound mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves DIRECTIONS 1. Sauté the bacon in a flameproof casserole over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon. Preheat the oven to 325˚F. 2. Brown beef and veggies. Dry beef in paper towels (it will not brown if it is damp). Add olive oil to pot and heat fat in casserole until almost smoking. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until nicely browned www.kitchenbitchblog.com on all sides. Add it to the bacon. In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the excess fat. 3. Add flour. Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly. Saute the beef cubes for about 4 or 5 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste and form a crust on the beef. 4. Add remaining stew ingredients. Stir in wine and 2 to 3 cups stock, just enough so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, and herbs. Bring to a simmer. 5. Bake the stew. Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for 3 to 4 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily. 6. Prepare the mushrooms. While the beef is cooking, heat the butter and the oil until bubbling in a skillet. As soon as you see the butter has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add mushrooms and thyme. Toss and shake pan for 4 to 5 minutes. As soon as they have begun to brown lightly, remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper. 7. Finish the bourguignon. When the meat is tender, after about 3 to 4 hours, remove the casserole from the oven and put it on the stovetop. Add the frozen pearl onions, and bring the stew to a boil on the stovetop. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the cooked mushrooms. Taste the sauce, and season carefully with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf. 8. Serve the stew in casserole, or arrange it on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and decorated with parsley. www.kitchenbitchblog.com .