Boeuf A La Bourguignon Recipe - red wine

Method

• In a large bowl, combine the red wine, beef stock, brandy, onion, carrots, garlic, parsley sprigs, thyme, rosemary, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, and bay leaf and stir well.
• Add in the beef and stir.
• Chill, covered, overnight.
• Drain the beef and reserve the marinade and vegetables separately.
• Pat the beef dry with paper towels.
• Set the beef and vegetables aside.
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
• Remove the outer rind of the slab bacon.
• Cut the bacon into lardons: 1 inch long strips about 1/4-inch thick.
• In a small saucepan, cover the lardons and the rind with cool water and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat, and simmer for 3 min.
• Drain the lardons and rind, pat them dry, and reserve both.
• Heat 2 Tbsp.
• of butter and extra virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
• Add in the lardons and cook, stirring, till crisp and their fat has rendered.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the lardons to paper towels to drain.
• Season the beef with salt and pepper, dredge in the flour, and shake off any excess.
• Raise the heat to high and, working in batches, brown the beef.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate.
• Pour off all but 1 Tbsp.
• of fat and return to high heat.
• Add in the reserved vegetable mix and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, till well browned, about 5 min.
• Return all of the browned beef to the pot.
• Add in the reserved marinade liquid, and reserved bacon rind.
• Bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer the stew to the oven and cook, covered, till the beef is very tender, about 3 hrs.
• Remove the stew from the oven.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate.
• Strain the liquid and throw away the solids.
• Return the beef and strained broth to the Dutch oven with the lardons.
• Put the pearl onions in a skillet with 1 Tbsp.
• of butter and the sugar.
• Cover the onions with water and season with salt and pepper.
• Simmer the onions over medium-high heat till almost tender.
• Raise heat to high, and reduce the cooking liquid to about 2 Tbsp.. Continue to cook the onions, shaking the pan over the heat, till the onions are golden and glazed.
• Transfer the onions to the stew.
• Heat 3 Tbsp.
• of butter in another skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add in the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper.
• Cook the mushrooms, tossing often, till golden, about 7 min.
• Transfer the mushrooms to the stew.
• In a small bowl, cream together the Tbsp.
• of softened butter with the Tbsp.
• of flour.
• Roll the mix into pea-sized pcs.
• Bring the stew to a simmer and, while stirring gently, add in sufficient beurre manie, bit by bit, to lightly thicken the sauce.
• Divide the stew among 6 shallow soup plates and garnish each with a crouton.
• Serve immediately with pasta or possibly boiled potatoes.
• For the Parsley-Rimmed Croutons: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Brush both sides of the bread with the butter and arrange them on a baking sheet.
• Bake the croutons till golden.
• Dip the edges of the bread in the stew to moisten; then in parsley to lightly coat the edges.
• This recipe yields 6 servings.