Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
Serves 6-8
- 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) beef, cut into chunks (chuck roast, brisket, shank, shoulder clod or other stewing cuts)
- 150 g (5 oz) kosher smoked meat (smoked veal or beef fry), cut into cubes
- 750 ml (3 cups, 1 bottle) red wine (Sauvignon, Syrah or Pinot Noir, for example)
- 600 ml (2½ cups) beef stock (or water with 1 organic stock cube)
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 onions, thinly sliced (or 12 pearl onions, peeled)
- 3 carrots, cut into chunks
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour) (or cornstarch to keep it gluten-free)
- 1 square dark chocolate (optional)
- 6-8 large potatoes
- 500 g (1.1 lb) mushrooms (button mushrooms or others, I love oyster mushrooms)
The day before. Marinate the beef chunks in the red wine with the thyme and rosemary.
The next day, pour the olive oil into a large Dutch oven and sweat the onions without letting them brown. Add the cubed smoked meat, then the beef (without the wine, which you’ll set aside to add back later). Sear the meat on all sides. Then add the carrots and celery. Keep cooking, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir. Cover with the beef stock and the red wine along with the thyme, rosemary, garlic and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, then put the lid on and let it simmer over low heat (barely bubbling) for 3 hours (less in a pressure cooker; the meat should be as tender as butter). If you’re using potatoes, add them after an hour and a half (you can also steam them, halved lengthwise, for 25 minutes).
If you’d rather cook it in the oven, use an oven-safe Dutch oven and bake, tightly covered, at 130°C (265°F) for about 3 hours. The meat should be falling apart.
- When the meat is really tender, take it out and set it aside along with the smoked meat and some of the carrots, discard the bay leaf and blend the rest in a blender to get a beautiful smooth, thick sauce (this puts an end to “I don’t like garlic,” “I don’t like onions”…), and, if you’re using it, add the square of dark chocolate. Meanwhile, quickly sauté the sliced mushrooms in a skillet with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic, then add them to the meat. Pour the sauce over the top, and it’s ready.
Instead of potatoes, you can also serve beef bourguignon with fresh tagliatelle.