Hearty Beef Bourguignon Recipes

Steps:

• For marinade: In a large bowl, combine the wine, cognac, onions, carrots, parsley, bay leaf, garlic, peppercorns and salt. Mix well and add the cubed beef. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• For Bourguignon: Strain the meat from the vegetables and marinade; reserve marinade. Dry meat with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the meat and saute for 10 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Transfer meat to a separate medium bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• In the same skillet, add the bacon and saute until lightly browned. Transfer the bacon to the bowl with the meat. Drain the skillet and return it to the heat. Pour a cup of marinade into the skillet to deglaze the skillet, scraping the bottom to loosen up all the little bits. Return this liquid to the reserved marinade.
• Heat the remaining oil in the skillet. Add the onion and carrot from the marinade, along with the additional onion that you've chopped, and saute for 5 minutes, or until tender. Transfer this mixture to the bowl with the meat and bacon, again using a slotted spoon, and return skillet to the heat. Add the flour to the skillet, combining with the oil and stir until well mixed and brown, about 2 minutes.
• Now add the tomato paste, garlic, beef broth, reserved marinade and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and whisk to remove any flour lumps. Add this to the meat and vegetable mixture. Place entire mixture into a 9x13 baking dish.
• Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 3 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• About 15 minutes before meat is done baking, melt butter in the skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. When meat is done, add the mushrooms to the meat mixture, stir well and let sit for about 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Place beef in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle flour mixture over beef; toss to coat beef evenly.
• Heat a 12-inch heavy-bottom skillet over medium heat. Add about 1 tablespoon canola oil; swirl to coat bottom of skillet. Heat oil to just below smoking point. Test by placing one piece of beef in pan; it should sizzle the moment it touches the pan. If beef spits, sputters, and smokes, pan is too hot; remove it from the heat to cool. If beef does not sizzle, pan is not hot enough; wait a minute or two more. Brown beef in about 8 manageable batches: Arrange 1/8 of the meat in skillet so cubes do not touch. Cook until dark crust has formed and beef easily releases from pan when lifted with tongs, about 3 minutes. Brown all sides of each piece in this manner. Transfer first batch of browned beef to large Dutch oven. Return skillet to heat. Deglaze skillet: Pour in 1/8 of the wine (about 3 ounces); use a wooden spoon to loosen bits that have cooked onto skillet. Pour wine and deglazed juices into Dutch oven. Return skillet to heat. Quickly wipe out with paper towel. Add another tablepoon canola oil; repeat process of browning beef cubes and deglazing skillet.
• When last batch of beef is browned and skillet is deglazed, return skillet to medium-low heat. Add pancetta; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to Dutch oven. Pour half the oil from skillet into a small bowl; set aside. In oil that remains in skillet, cook half the sliced onions, carrots, and parsnips, stirring often, until onions are transparent, and carrots and parsnips have softened, about 10 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer to Dutch oven. Cook remaining half of vegetables in reserved oil from skillet; transfer to Dutch oven.
• Prepare bouquet garnish: Place bay leaf, thyme, parsley, and peppercorns on square of cheesecloth; tie with kitchen twine; add to Dutch oven. Pour enough water into Dutch oven to barely cover meat, about 2 quarts. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and gently simmer, partly covered, until beef is tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, place potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with salted water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until tender. Warm cream in a small pan over medium heat. Drain potatoes; when cool enough to handle, press through ricer into medium bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Cut 1 stick butter into chunks; add to potatoes, and whisk to incorporate. Drizzle in hot cream, whisking constantly. Whisk in 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the nutmeg. Set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter; add pearl onions, and saute until golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; add to Dutch oven. Return skillet to heat; add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and melt. Add mushrooms; cook just until mushrooms release liquid, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to Dutch oven. Continue to simmer stew until beef is very tender and pearl onions are very soft, about 30 minutes more. Remove bouquet garni; discard.
• Heat oven to 475 degrees. Spoon stew into individual ovenproof ramekins about 5 inches wide and 3 inches tall. Top each with large spoonful (about 1 cup) reserved mashed potatoes. Garnish each with oregano sprig. Place ramekins on baking sheet; bake until crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Steps:

• Toss together beef pieces, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until fat is rendered and bacon is beginning to brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Add seasoned beef to bacon and cook, stirring often, until well browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Add mushrooms and tomato paste to mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Stir in broth, wine, and carrots and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 40 to 45 minutes or until beef is fork-tender.
• Uncover and remove 1/2 cup broth to a 1-cup glass measuring cup. Whisk in flour until completely combined and smooth. Stir flour mixture back into beef mixture and stir constantly until thickened slightly, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Season beef with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Set aside for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
• In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a tightfitting lid, cook lardons over medium-low heat until fat is rendered and lardons are browned and crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve fat in pot.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Raise heat under pot to medium-high and cook until fat is starting to smoke. Lay half the beef cubes in a single layer in the pot, leaving space between pieces. Cook until well browned on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes; transfer pieces to a plate as they brown. Repeat with remaining beef.
• Reduce heat, if necessary, to prevent burning. Stir in onion, carrot and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until soft, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in garlic and tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in flour, cook for 1 minute, then add wine, bay leaf and thyme, scraping up brown bits at bottom of pot. Add browned beef and half the cooked lardons back to pot, cover, and transfer to oven. Let cook until beef is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours, turning meat halfway through.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet set over high heat, combine pearl onions, mushrooms, 1/4 cup water, the olive oil and a pinch each of salt, pepper and sugar. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to medium, cooking for 15 minutes. Uncover, raise heat to high, and cook, tossing frequently, until vegetables are well browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
• To serve, scatter onions and mushrooms and remaining cooked lardons over stew, then top with parsley.