Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients

• 6 oz bacon, cut into small lardons
• 3 lbs beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups full-bodied red Burgundy or Pinot Noir
• 2 1/2 cups beef stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 garlic cloves, mashed
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 18 to 24 small pearl onions, peeled
• 1 lb small button mushrooms, quartered
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Before you cook

• Preheat the oven to 325F.
• Cut the beef into 2-inch cubes and pat them dry with paper towels.
• Peel the pearl onions and slice the carrot and large onion.

Steps

1. Cook the bacon lardons in a large Dutch oven over medium heat for 3 minutes, until lightly browned, then remove to a plate.
2. Sear the beef cubes in the bacon fat in batches, browning all sides, and set them with the bacon.
3. Brown the sliced carrot and onion in the same pot for 3 minutes.
4. Pour out excess fat, return the beef and bacon to the pot, and season with the salt and pepper.
5. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and toss to coat, then set the pot uncovered in the oven for 4 minutes.
6. Toss the meat again and return it to the oven for 4 more minutes.
7. Remove the pot from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325F if not already there.
8. Stir in the wine and enough stock to just cover the meat.
9. Add the tomato paste, garlic, thyme and bay leaf and bring to a simmer on the stovetop.
10. Cover the pot and place it in the oven for 3 hours, until the meat is fork-tender.
11. While the stew braises, brown the pearl onions in 1 tablespoon each butter and oil in a skillet for 10 minutes, then add 1/2 cup of the braising liquid and simmer until tender.
12. Saute the mushrooms in the remaining butter and oil over high heat for 5 minutes, until browned.
13. Once the stew is tender, strain the braising liquid into a saucepan and skim off the fat.
14. Simmer the liquid until it coats the back of a spoon, then pour it back over the meat.
15. Fold the browned onions and mushrooms into the stew and warm everything through.
16. Scatter with chopped parsley and serve.