boeuf Bourguignon.
Burgundy beef, known as 'Boeuf Bourguignon' in French, originates from the Burgundy region of France. Classically, it's a French dish of red wine-braised beef, often served as a rustic stew on its own, alongside a starch, being bread or potatoes. The key to this dish is using a good stock.
Ingredients:
1.5kg stewing beef, cut into large chunks.
(Any piece of beef with lots of fat connective tissue, namely; short ribs, chuck, brisket, cheek, etc.)
2 carrots, (100g) medium dice.
2 stalks celery, (100g) medium dice.
2 white onions, (200g) medium dice.
3 sprigs thyme.
1 sprigs rosemary.
3 cloves garlic, crushed.
2 bay leaves.
2 tbsp tomato paste.
1L beef stock.
500mL Burgundy red wine, (merlot, pinot noir, chianti or cabernet sauvignon.
150mL Port wine.
50mL cognac.
1/2 tbsp all purpose flour.
kosher salt.
black pepper.
soy sauce.
red wine vinegar.
neutral oil; canola, peanut, grapeseed.
serving mirepoix:
1 carrot, cut into small chunks.
1 stick celery. cut into small chunks.
12 pearl onions, peeled.
2 tbsp butter.
1 tbsp oil.
lardon & mushroom:
6 strips of bacon, about 1/4” thick, chopped.
12 cremini mushrooms, quartered.
3 sprigs of thyme.
2 tbsp butter.
3 tbsp cognac.
kosher salt.
pomme puree:
5-6 yukon gold potatoes.
6 tbsp cultured butter.
1/4 cup heavy cream.
kosher salt.
Equipment:
sauté pan.
baking tray.
Dutch oven/large saucepot.
Yield:
roughly; 6 servings.
Execution:
cure & sear.
Season the beef, generously with salt and leave on a baking tray, lined with a wire rack for 12-24 hours.
Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add a couple tablespoons of neutral oil, sear each piece of beef until browned all over, do not overcrowd the pot.
Remove the seared beef and set aside.
2. braising.
Preheat your oven to 325°F.
Set the heat back down to low add a few knobs of butter, add the celery, carrot, garlic and onion, sweat the mirepoix for an additional 10 minutes over low heat.
Add the flour.
Once the vegetables have given up majority of their moisture and are just starting to brown, add the tomato paste and increase the heat to medium.
Allow the tomato paste to cook for about 2 minutes while stirring constantly. Continue cooking the paste until its color deepens to a dark amber, and the aroma changes from raw tomato to a sweet, nutty, vegetal scent. You should also notice the paste lightly sticking to the bottom and sides of the pot, alongside some browning.
Add the port wine and cognac, increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid is reduced by half.
Add the red wine, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves, reduce by half again, season the reduction with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
Add the seared beef and cover with beef stock until all the meat is just barely submerged.
Increase the heat to medium and bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and place into the preheated oven.
Let braise for about 2-3 hours or until the beef is not yet falling apart, but extremely tender.
Remove the beef from the pot and place onto a baking tray, lined with parchment paper, once cooled down to room temperature, place into the fridge overnight.
Strain the braising liquid through a sieve into a container. Place the container into a larger container filled with ice water and let cool to room temperature. Place in the fridge.
3. serving & mirepoix.
Remove the beef and braising liquid from the fridge.
Using a spoon, remove about half of the layer of fat that has accumulated on top of the liquid and discard.
Add the beef and braising liquid to a pot and keep warm over low heat.
Heat 2 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of oil in a small saute pan, once the butter starts to foam add the pearl onions and cook until the outer layer turns translucent.
Add the carrots, celery and a pinch of salt, cook until everything is lightly browned and the vegetables are about halfway cooked.
Add the mirepoix back to the braising liquid, increase the heat to medium and allow the vegetables to simmer with the stew for about 5 minutes.
4. lardon & mushrooms:
In the meantime, add the bacon to a sauté pan and set to medium-low heat, add about 2 tbsp of water to the pan.
Allow the bacon to render all of its fat until its crispy.
Remove the bacon from the pan, drain the fat and set aside, clean the pan.
Set the pan over a medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp of bacon fat, once shimmering add the mushrooms.
Cook the mushrooms until golden brown, cut the heat and add the cognac, allow the alcohol to burn off. Add a pinch of salt.
Add a knob of butter, re-introduce the bacon, cut the heat and add thyme.
Add the mushrooms and bacon back to the pot and stir.
Serve.