Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
Serves 6-8
- 1.2kg (2.6 lbs) beef cut into chunks (chuck, brisket, shank, or stew meat)
- 150g (5 oz) deli meat cut into cubes (such as smoked veal)
- 750ml (3 cups) red wine (Sauvignon, Syrah, or Pinot Noir for example)
- 600ml (2½ cups) beef broth (or water with 1 organic bouillon cube)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 celery stalk, minced
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 onions, sliced (or 12 peeled pearl onions)
- 3 carrots, cut into chunks
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp flour (or starch for gluten-free)
- 1 square dark chocolate (optional)
- 6-8 large potatoes
- 500g (1 lb) mushrooms (button or other varieties, I like oyster mushrooms)
The day before. Marinate the beef chunks in red wine with the thyme and rosemary.
On the day, in a large Dutch oven, pour the olive oil and sweat the onions without browning. Add the diced deli meat, then the beef (without the wine, which you’ll reserve to add back later). Sear the meat on all sides. Add the carrots and celery. Continue cooking while stirring for 5 minutes. Add the flour and mix. Cover with the beef broth, red wine with the thyme, rosemary, garlic, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and simmer over low heat (gently bubbling) for 3 hours (less in a pressure cooker—the meat should be butter-tender). If using them, add the potatoes after an hour and a half (you can also steam them cut in half lengthwise for 25 minutes).
If you prefer oven cooking, use an oven-safe Dutch oven and bake, tightly covered, at 130°C (265°F) for about 3 hours. The meat should be melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- When the meat is very tender, set it aside along with the deli meat and some of the carrots. Discard the bay leaves and blend the rest in a blender to get a smooth, thick sauce (this avoids the “I don’t like garlic,” “I don’t like onions”…), and if using it, add the square of dark chocolate. Meanwhile, quickly sauté the sliced mushrooms in a pan with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic, then add them to the meat. Pour the sauce over everything—it’s ready.
Instead of potatoes, you can also serve the beef bourguignon with fresh tagliatelle.