Boeuf Bourguignon

When Evan and I went to Paris last spring, we reveled in the culinary pleasures available. We had both been there before, but somehow being older and more food-focused changed our experience dramatically. With taste buds open we embarked to discover what we could about French food. We did not visit the restaurants of famous chefs, and not once did we wait in line to eat. Rather, we found places off the beaten track, down side streets, and with little fanfare. Although we tried many new flavors, we opted largely for old classics. One dish that stood out was Boeuf Bourguignon, or beef stew in red wine, with bacon, onions, and mushrooms. At heart this is a simple stew and could easily be farmers' fare. Somehow, though, when done well, this peasant dish becomes high cuisine, complex and comforting at the same time. As Julia Child remarks in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, "Carefully done, and perfectly flavored, it is certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man."

Winter begs for warm, hearty dishes like stew. As soon as the weather gets nippy I pull out my stock pot and slow cooker. I have made boeuf bourguignon before, both times part on the stove and part in the slow cooker. This time when the urge came over me, I decided to turn to the classic recipe from Julia Child. Keep in mind that this is no week night meal. It must cook in the oven for at least two and half hours, and requires numerous steps before and after. It is not difficult, but it is involved. I would recommend making it over the weekend and refrigerating and freezing it for a quick and delicious weeknight meal. As with all stews, the flavors of boeuf bourguignon only improve over time.

Boeuf Bourguignon
[Beef Stew in Red Wine, with Bacon, Onions, and Mushrooms]
From Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I, Fortieth Anniversary Edition, by Julia Child, New York: Knopf (2008)

Ingredients
6 ounce chunk of bacon (I used half a package of regular bacon slices)
1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
3 lbs lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 sliced carrot
1 sliced onion
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tablespoon flour
3 cups of a full-bodied wine*
2 to 3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 crumbled bay leaf
18 to 24 small white onions, brown braised in stock (see recipe)
1 lb quartered mushrooms, sauteed in butter (see recipe)

Directions

If the bacon has a rind remove it. Cut the bacon into lardons (sticks, 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches wide). Simmer the rind and bacon for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of water. Drain and dry.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sauté the bacon in a 9- to 10-inch fireproof casserole 3 inches deep in the oil over moderate heat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.

Dry the beef in paper towels. This is super important - if the beef will not brown properly if it is damp. Reheat the casserole until the fat from the bacon is almost smoking. Sauté the beef, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Remember that you are simply browning the beef here, it will have plenty of time to finish cooking in the oven.

Add the browned beef to the bacon.

In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the sautéing fat.

Return the beef and bacon to the casserole with the vegetables. Toss with salt and pepper. Sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set the casserole uncovered in the middle position of the preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to the oven for another 4 minutes. This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust. Remove the casserole and turn the oven down to 325 degrees.

Stir in the wine.* Here, I offer a note on what wine to use. Julia Child recommends a "full-bodied, fairly young red wine, such as Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône, Bordeaux-St. Émilion, or Burgundy," or a chianti. Burgundy is certainly the standard choice (indeed, the American take on this dish is known as Beef Burgundy). I took the advice of Kathleen Flinn from her book The Sharper Your Knife the Less You Cry and used a Syrah. I picked an inexpensive Trader Joe's variety to put in the stew and drink with it. Despite its low price tag ($4) I was very pleasantly surprised.

After stirring in the wine, add enough beef stock so that the meat is just barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove.

Then cover the casserole and set in the lower third of the preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers very slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done with a fork pierces it easily.

While the beef is cooking prepare the onions and mushrooms (see recipes below). Set them aside until needed.

When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat.

Skim the fat off the sauce. Simmer the sauce for a minute or two, skimming the fat off as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of stock or canned bouillon. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.

Cover the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in its casserole, or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles, or rice, and decorated with parsley.

Since we just had mashed potatoes the night before, we weren't in the mood for something super carby. So I served it with a nice large salad instead.

Here are the additional recipes for onions and mushrooms necessary for the dish:

Oignons Glacés Á Brun
[Brown-braised onions]

Ingredients
18-24 peeled white onions
1 1/2 Tb butter
1 1/2 Tb oil
1/2 cup brown stock, canned beef bouillon, dry white wine, red wine, or water
salt and pepper to taste
A medium herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, 1/2 bay leaf, 1/4 tsp thyme tied in a cheesecloth

Directions

When the butter and oil are bubbling in the skillet, add the onions and sauté them over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they brown as easily as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect to brown them uniformly.

Then either braise them or bake them. I braised them. Pour in the liquid (I used the Syrah), season to taste, and add the herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove the herb bouquet.

Champignons Sautés Au Beurre
[Sautéed Mushrooms]

Julia Child notes the importance of fully drying the mushrooms and cooking them in hot butter. They should be slightly browned and should not exude their juices. They should not be crowded in the pan - if they are overcrowded they steam rather than fry. You are better off cooking this in batches if your pan is small. Remember, also that this recipe calls for 1/2 mushrooms, while the bourguignon calls for a full pound. I don't think doubling the butter is necessary - 3 tbs should suffice.

Ingredients
2 tbs butter
1 tb oil
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms
Salt and Pepper

Place the skillet over high heat with the butter and oil. As soon as you see that the butter foam has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add the mushrooms. Toss and shake the pan for 4 to 5 minutes. During their sauté the mushrooms will at first absorb the fat. In 2 to 3 minutes the fat will reappear on their surface, and the mushrooms will begin to brown. As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from the heat.

Notes from the kitchen:

• The stew turned out good, although it was not my best dish, or even my best rendition of boeuf bourguignon. It was lacking a certain richness that I think is essential. I thought it had a slightly burned taste, although Evan disagreed.
• As you can see from the picture above, my mushrooms emitted their juices, which they are not supposed to. So, they did not brown properly. This is probably because I realized halfway through that the recipe was for 1/2 a pound and I didn't have enough butter in the pan. So, I committed a cooking sin and added a tablespoon of butter while it was cooking. Thus, liquid.
• I am not discouraged! I will continue to try different recipes for boeuf bourguignon. Julia Child even says at the beginning of the recipe that "as is the case with most famous dishes, there are more ways than one to arrive at a good boeuf bourguignon." So, my search for the perfect recipe continues.