Rule #91: Beef B. by D. is the way to roll.
Translation: Beef Bourguignon by Daddy is the way to roll. Julia Childs has the ultimate “impress the in-laws” type recipe, but this one is meant for the every day folks who want to get something yummy on the table without having to invoke a famous chef from the past. My dad would make this on a lazy Sunday when we were all just hanging around the house. The smells are one of those food memories that will always have a special place in my heart.
When I say that this is an ‘easy’ beef bourguignon, I mean it. It takes about an hour of hands-on work, then two hours of cook time. It’s worth every single second of that time.
Here’s how we make this little pot of beef perfection:
Place 1 cup of flour in a shallow bowl and season liberally with Kosher salt and black pepper.
Working in batches, dredge some beef chuck stew meat in the seasoned flour.
Heat some EVOO over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or oven-proof dish. You want the oil to sizzle when you sprinkle a bit of flour in it. Brown the beef, in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
You want a nice, brown color on your beef. Don’t worry if the inside isn’t ‘cooked’ all the way; it will braise in the oven and cook to perfection. Remove the cooked beef to a plate and repeat until all the beef is browned. Set aside.
In the same Dutch oven, sauté some onions and carrots until softened (about 8 minutes).
Once the vegetables are softened, make a hole in the center of the pot. Add in 2 tbs. bourbon. Cook until the bourbon is almost completely evaporated (about 1 minute).
Add in reserved beef, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, red wine, beef stock, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cover and braise at 300 for 1 hour.
After one hour, remove the pot from the oven and add in some sliced mushrooms, pearl onions, and about 1 tbs. lemon juice. Cover and cook an additional hour.
This is what you’ll get after that last hour of cooking: a whole pot of beef perfection that’s full of flavor, perfect for pleasing your guests, and the quintessential comfort food.
We serve ours over egg noodles, but you can also serve yours over sautéed, riced cauliflower or broccoli. We also enjoy having a nice, simple salad with it or my Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad.
Beef B. by D., y’all!
Beef Bourguignon
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2½ lbs. beef chuck cut into 2” pieces (beef stew meat)
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 large carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 tbs. bourbon
- 2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- ½ cup flat-leaf parsley chopped
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 cup good red wine we use a good Cabernet
- 1½ tsp. Kosher salt
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 16 oz. mushrooms sliced (we use Baby Bella)
- 1 cup frozen pearl onions
- 1 tbs. fresh lemon juice
- Flat-leaf parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300.
- In a shallow dish, season flour with salt and pepper. Working in batches, dredge the stew meat in the seasoned flour until well coated. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or oven proof dish until flour sizzles when you drop it in. Brown the beef on both sides in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan. Remove browned beef to a plate and save for later.
- Once all the beef is browned and removed from the pan, add in the onion and carrot. Sauté until cooked through (about 8 minutes). Make a hole in the center of the vegetables and carefully pour in the bourbon. Stir and cook until the bourbon almost evaporates (about 1 minute).
- Add in the garlic, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, beef stock, red wine, 1½ tsp. Kosher salt, and ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Stir well to combine, cover, and put in the oven for 1 hour.
- Remove stew from the oven and add in the sliced mushrooms, pearl onions, and lemon juice. Cover and cook an additional 1 hour.
- Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Garnish with parsley and serve over egg noodles or riced, sautéed cauliflower or broccoli.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary, and Pineapple House Rules makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
This looks amazing! I need to try!