Beef Bourguignon is a typical French meal that is a delicious beef stew, cooked in red wine, that comes from the Burgundy region of France. It originated as a peasant dish, but has risen to a level of popularity and is now considered something of an elegant meal. (Possibly due to the amount of time needed to prepare it and its bold flavor.) There are lots of different varieties and ways to tweak it, including or excluding bacon fat (or lardons), but we love their presence and the amazing, rich flavor they lend the beef.
This dish takes some love and affection, but it is definitely worth it. Your family will be stunned by the flavor, and if you’re making it for a smaller group, you can rest easy knowing you’ll have incredible-tasting leftovers for the next few days. It would certainly be an effort to make this after a long day’s work, but if you’re feeling ambitious on a Saturday or Sunday, we promise you won’t regret it!
INGREDIENTS
- 3 pounds stew beef, cubed
- 1 pound farfalle bow-tie pasta
- 2-3 cups beef stock
- 3 cups red wine (cabernet)
- 5 carrots, chopped
- 4 slices bacon, cut into strips
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
PREPARATION
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Take your cubed beef and pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and render bacon strips until browned and crispy. Remove to a bowl, leaving bacon fat in the pot.
- Turn heat up to medium-high and, in batches, brown cubed beef, adding more olive oil if necessary. Once browned, transfer to bowl with baconand set aside.
- Add onions and carrots, seasoned with salt and pepper, and sauté until softened and tender. 6-8 minutes.
- Return beef (and bacon, optional)to the vegetables and sprinkle in flour. Toss to coat everything and transfer Dutch oven to the oven for 4 minutes, uncovered.
- Toss everything again and roast for another 4 minutes.
- Stir tomato paste into beef and veggies and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Pour in liquids until meat is just submerged, then add garlic, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and cloves, and let simmer.
- Cover and place in oven for 3 hours. Check at 2 hours to see how much liquid is left, adding more stock if meat is no longer covered.
- Note: sauce should be reduced and thickened, and meat should be falling apart.
- Once meat is tender, transfer Dutch oven back to stove and keep on low heat until ready to serve.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook farfalle according to packaging directions, or until al dente.
- Serve beef bourguignon hot, on top of pasta, pouring extra sauce over as desired.
Recipe adapted from I Love Pasta