Recipe № 03 — slow Sunday braise

Beef Bourguignon

Beef simmered slowly in red wine until it falls apart, with bacon, pearl onions, and butter-glazed mushrooms folded in at the end. Patience and a glass of the same wine you're cooking with — non-negotiable.

Yield

6–8 servings

Prep

15 min

Cook

3 hr

Oven

350°F / 175°C

Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8 — better the next day

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
6 oz bacon, roughly chopped
3 lb beef brisket (or chuck, or stewing beef), trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
1 large carrot, sliced ½-inch thick
1 large white onion, diced
12 small pearl onions (optional, but they're lovely)
6 cloves garlic, minced (divided — 4 + 2)
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups red wine (Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Chianti)
2–3 cups beef stock
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 beef bouillon cube, crushed
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (plus more for serving)
2 bay leaves
1 lb mushrooms (white or brown), quartered
2 tbsp butter
Salt & pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and fry until crisp and browned, about 3 minutes. Lift it out with a slotted spoon onto a plate.
Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Sear in batches in the bacon fat until browned on every side. Transfer to the plate with the bacon — don't crowd the pan or you'll steam the meat.
Drop the diced onion and carrot into the pan and sauté for about 3 minutes, until softened. Add 4 cloves of the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Pour off any excess fat, leaving roughly a tablespoon.
Return the beef and bacon to the pot. Season with about ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Sprinkle in the flour, toss to coat, and cook for 4–5 minutes to brown the flour and the meat further.
Add the pearl onions, wine, and just enough stock to barely cover the meat. Stir in the tomato paste, crushed bouillon, thyme, parsley, and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop.
Cover the pot, slide it onto the lower rack of the oven, and braise for 2 to 3 hours — adjusting the heat if needed so the liquid only just bubbles. The beef should be fork-tender.
In the last 5 minutes of braising: melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once it foams, add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes, swirling the pan, until browned. Season with salt and pepper.
Set a colander over a clean pot or large bowl. Empty the contents of the Dutch oven into the colander to separate the sauce from the meat and vegetables. Discard the bay leaves.
Return the meat and vegetables to the Dutch oven. Skim any visible fat from the sauce, then simmer the sauce a minute or two to refine it — you want about 2½ cups, thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Too thin? Reduce another 10 minutes. Too thick? Splash in more stock.
Pour the sauce back over the meat. Add the mushrooms on top. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
If serving immediately: warm everything through for 2–3 minutes, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or buttered noodles. If serving the next day (recommended): cool, refrigerate, and reheat gently over low heat for about 10 minutes before serving.