Getting Started

Classic French Beef Stew or Boeuf Bourguignon

Serves 4-6.

• 4 pounds Chuck Roast, trimmed of excess fat (can be cubed)
• 1 bottle of burgundy wine
• 16 ounces of beef stock/bullion
• 1 heaping tablespoon of all purpose flour
• 2 oz of tomato paste
• 1 bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 15-18 pearl onions, washed and cleaned
• 4 cloves of pealed, sliced garlic
• 6 oz of Pancetta or center cut very lean bacon
• 4 peeled and chopped carrots
• 2 stalks of cleaned, chopped celery
• 1 medium size onion, pealed and chopped
• 2/3 pound of mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 2 oz of olive 0il
• 2-3 pats of butter
• Kosher Salt and cracked black pepper

Brown the meat on all sides

1. Assemble all the ingredients: chop vegetables, pre-heat oven to 350.
2. Chuck Roast: Look over carefully and trim any big pieces of excess fat, from sides and inside of roast.
3. Pancetta/Bacon: Cut into strips and place in stock pot over medium heat.  Cook until fat is rendered and remove bacon from pot. Set aside in a bowl.
4. Place the meat into the pot with the bacon drippings and brown on all sides
5. Remove the meat from the pot. Set aside.
6. Add the chopped celery, chopped onion (not pearl onion) and carrot, cook until soft about 5 minutes.
7. Add about 2 cloves of sliced garlic, stir about 1 minute.
8. Add the tomato paste. Stir.
9. Add dash or two of salt and black pepper.
10. Add tablespoon of flour, stir.
11. Return the browned meat and bacon to the pot.
12. Pour in the wine and bouillon to cover all the ingredients.
13. Add herbs and pearl onions, bring up to a boil.
14. Pull from the stove top. Secure the pot lid and place in oven for 3 hours at 350 degrees.  Note: the stew is done with a fork or knife easily penetrates the meat.
15. At about 15 minutes before you pull the stew, start the mushrooms.
    To make the mushrooms: Add 1-2 pats of butter and olive oil to a sauté pan. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender.
16. When the mushrooms are cooked, remove the pot from the oven.
17. Remove the herb springs from the stew pot and add the mushrooms.
18. Simmer for 5 minutes and garnish with a few fresh parsley sprigs.
19. Serve the stew in a large bowl with a side dish of potatoes and crispy bread.

Recipe Notes

Add the veggies and sauté

The Pan

Use a heavy, good size stock pot with a tight fitting lid. This pot should be able to fit into your oven, easily. Tip: to make a good seal between the pot and the lid, wrap foil around the lid. It should help to prevent any steam from escaping.

The Wine

Wines that carry a deep rounded fruit with tannin notes seem to work best with this dish, as they carry about the right amount of mouth feel and flavor. The traditional favorite for this dish is a classic French burgundy, like a Cote de Nuits or try a St. Emilion. Other great wine varietals to consider are an Italian Barolo or a California Syrah.

Return meat. Add stock, wine & seasoning

The Meat

Given the amount of time the meat will spend stewing, you’ll want to choose a piece that will improve under the intense moist heat. Chuck roast pieces tend to do best in this recipe.

Herbs

Voila-so easy and so very good…

Boiled fingerling potatoes or mashed Yukon potatoes really top of this dish.

Starter Dish: Salad Options

Plated with small boiled potatoes, sauté’s mushrooms

Dessert

Classic Apple Pie ala mode is our favorite way to finish this meal.

About the Seasoner

Kathy FitzHenry is the founder of Juliet Mae Fine Spices an artisan maker of fine spice blends and seasonings located in San Francisco. Known for her array of sophisticated, handmade products, Kathy has just begun to sell her blends nationally under the name, the Occasional Gourmet.  You can find her blends at select specialty stores and at all the Northern California Whole Foods Stores. For more information, please contact Kathy at 415-474-1633 or go to www.theoccasionalgourmet.com.