Deliciously OK: Beef Bourguignon in August

Thanks to the film “Julie and Julia”, beef bourguignon has never been so popular, especially in the summertime.  I’ll be the first to say that it’s pretty strange that there are hundreds of foodies cooking beef bourguignon in August.  Consider it just as out of place as Thanksgiving in June – though, like beef bourguignon, that would still be delicious.  I’d like to believe that the French are laughing at us, but it’s really hard to care when you have a refrigerator stocked with some of the finest leftovers to grace its shelves.  New foodie rule: Beef bouguignon is *absolutely* delicious, regardless of the time of year. 

I was able to find a copy of the Julia Child recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking  (now on the NY Times bestseller list).  While Child’s recipe took some time and effort, it wasn’t nearly as difficult as I expected it to be. As Julie Powell did in the movie, I recommend making this the night before you plan to serve it.  The bourguignon was good the first night, but the flavors really develop after a day, so make sure to cook enough for leftovers. Also, I chose to serve my bourguignon over egg noodles, but you can substitute them for potatoes, rustic bread, or rice.

Bon appétit!‎

Beef Bourguignon
Adapted from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Serves 6 people

6 strips thick center cut bacon, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 2 inch cubes
1 carrot, sliced roughly 1/3 inch thick
1 sliced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups red wine, preferably Beaujolais, Burgundy, or Côtes du Rhône
2-3 cups brown beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
18-24 white pearl onions, brown-braised in stock (see recipe below)
1 pound fresh button mushrooms, sautéed in butter (see recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a dutch oven or deep pan, sauté the bacon in the olive oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes to brown lightly. Transfer bacon to a side dish.

2. Dry the beef in paper towels (this assists in browning the meat). In the same pan, sauté a few pieces of meat at a time, until nicely browned on all sides. Add the meat to the bacon.

3. In the same pan, add the sliced carrot and onions. Brown the vegetables, then add back the beef and bacon. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Sprinkle flour on the beef and toss to coat evenly. Place the uncovered casserole in the middle position of the preheated oven for 4 minutes. Remove the casserole from the heat, toss the meat once again, and return to the oven for an additional 4 minutes. This will brown the flour and cover the meat with a light crust. Remove the casserole from the oven, and reduce heat to 325 degrees.

5. Add the wine to the casserole, and enough beef stock to barely cover the meat. Add the tomato paste, crushed garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring the casserole to a simmer on the stovetop. Then cover, and place in the lower third of the preheated oven. Let cook for 2.5 to 3 hours, checking each hour to ensure there is enough liquid. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

6. While the meat is cooking, prepare the pearl onions and mushrooms (see recipes below).

7. When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve placed over a saucepan. Return the beef, bacon, and vegetables to the casserole dish. Add the pearl onions and mushrooms.

8. Simmer the liquid in the saucepan. The sauce should coat a spoon lightly. If it is took thick, add some stock to thin it out. If the sauce is too thin, bring the sauce to a rapid boil. Season with salt and pepper as necessary. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.

9. Cover the casserole and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Serve over noodles, potatoes, or rice and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Braised Pearl Onions:
18-24 peeled white pearl onions about 1-inch in diameter (fresh preferred, frozen works)
1 ½ Tablespoons butter
1 ½ Tablespoons oil
½ cup of brown stock or red wine
Salt and pepper to taste
Herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, 1 bay leaf, and ¼ teaspoon fresh thyme tied with cooking twine

1. Add the butter and oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once bubbling, add the onions and saute over for about 10 minute, rolling the onions about so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins; you cannot expect to brown uniformly.

2. Add the liquid (either wine or stock), season to taste, and add herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for roughly 30-40 minutes, until the onions are perfectly tender, but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove and discard the herb bouquet.

Sautéed Mushrooms:
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound white button mushrooms, sliced
Salt and pepper

1. Heat butter and olive oil in a large skill over high heat. Once the butter’s foam subsides, add mushrooms.

2. Toss mushrooms for 5 minutes, until they absorb the butter and oil. Continue to sauté for 3 minutes until the mushrooms release their fat. Remove from the heat when the mushrooms turn light brown. Add salt and pepper to taste.