Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients

• ●4 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2-inch chunks
• ●Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ●3 tablespoons olive oil
• ●8 ounces bacon or pancetta, cut into ½-inch pieces
• ●1 bottle (750 ml) red wine (Burgundy, Côtes du Rhône, or something you would drink)
• ●1 cup beef stock
• ●2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ●4 cloves garlic, minced
• ●1 pound pearl onions, peeled (or 1 large onion, diced)
• ●8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
• ●4 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• ●3 sprigs fresh thyme
• ●2 bay leaves
• ●3 tablespoons butter, divided
• ●2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ●Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Method

1. Pat the beef very dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Let it come to room temperature while you prep the other ingredients.
2. Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F).
3. In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat renders and the bacon is crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. In the same pot, increase heat to medium-high. Working in batches (don't crowd the pot), sear the beef in the bacon fat on all sides until deeply browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. The fond this creates is the flavor base of the entire dish. Remove the beef to a plate and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.
5. Reduce heat to medium. Add the pearl onions (if using whole) to the pot and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Remove them — they'll go back in at the end.
6. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Remove.
7. Add the carrots and garlic. Cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 2 minutes to build a roux — this is what thickens the sauce.
8. Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Pour in the wine and stock. Add the tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves. The liquid should come about three-quarters up the beef — this is not a soup, it's a braise. The wine is the braising medium, not a flavoring; use a bottle you'd actually drink.
9. Bring to a simmer. Cover tightly and transfer to the oven. Braise for 2 to 2½ hours until the beef is tender and yielding.
10. During the last 30 minutes, add the reserved bacon, pearl onions, and mushrooms. These were cooked separately so they hold their shape and texture in the final dish rather than overcooking in the long braise.
11. Remove the beef, pearl onions, and mushrooms to a serving platter using a slotted spoon — the liquid stays in the pot for the sauce. Discard the thyme and bay leaves.
12. Skim any fat from the braising liquid (a wide spoon works; a fat separator is easier). Bring the liquid to a boil on the stovetop and reduce by about one-third until the sauce coats a spoon — this is the "nappe" test: draw a line through the sauce with a spoon, it should hold. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter piece by piece, off the heat, to give the sauce a glossy, rich finish — this is "monter au beurre," a chef's essential technique.
13. Pour the sauce over the beef. Scatter fresh parsley over the top. Serve with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or crusty bread.
14. *Storage:** Refrigerate for up to 4 days. This is one of those dishes that tastes better the next day as the flavors deepen. Freezes well for 3 months.
15. *Seasonal note:** A full bottle of wine is not excessive — it's the braising liquid. Use something you would drink. The alcohol cooks off, leaving behind the fruit and depth. If you're nervous about using a full bottle, know that the result is a deeply savory sauce, not a wine-y one.