Olivier Walch, the head chef at the Château du Clos de Vougeot, gave me rough instructions for his boeuf bourguignon, and I turned them into the recipe below. Rather than boeuf bourguignon, this is beef cooked in the Burgundian style—because I believe you should be able to use any kind of red wine.
Serves 4
2 to 2½ pounds beef cheeks or chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 2½- to 3-inch chunks
1 onion, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 leek, trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 sprig thyme
2 bay leaves
3 or 4 juniper berries
2 whole cloves
2 or 3 whole black peppercorns
One 750-milliliter bottle full-bodied wine, such as a sturdy Pinot Noir, Côtes du Rhône, or similar
3 to 4 tablespoons neutral-flavored vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 quart meat stock (or water)
2 tablespoons Cognac or brandy
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
¼ pound bacon, cut into ¼-inch matchsticks, or lardons
1 pound fresh button mushrooms
18 to 24 pearl onions
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Marinating the meat
In a large bowl, combine the beef, onion, carrots, and leek. Add the thyme, bay leaves, juniper berries, cloves, and black peppercorns. Pour over the red wine, making sure everything is submerged. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 3 hours.
Browning and stewing the meat
Remove the beef and vegetables from the marinade. Reserve the liquid. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan over moderate heat. Meanwhile, dry the beef thoroughly with paper towels and season it with salt and freshly ground pepper. When the oil shimmers, arrange the beef chunks in the pan in a single layer, taking care not to overcrowd the pan (you will probably need to do this in two batches). Brown the chunks, turning them so that they are golden and crusted on all sides, adding another tablespoon of oil if necessary. Remove them from the pan and place them directly into a wide-mouthed 6-quart casserole or Dutch oven. When all the beef chunks are browned, heat another tablespoon of oil and sauté the vegetables until softened, wilted, and almost golden, about 10 minutes. Remove them to the casserole with the beef. Deglaze the frying pan with 1 cup or so of the stock or use water, scraping up the browned bits.
Over moderate heat, sprinkle the Cognac over the meat and vegetables, and set it aflame with a match, gently shaking the casserole until the alcohol burns off. Stir in the flour and toss lightly so that it coats everything. Stir in the deglazing liquid, the wine from the marinade, the garlic, and enough stock or water to barely cover the meat. Bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until a fork easily pierces the meat, 2½ to 3 hours.
Finishing the sauce
When the meat is done, remove the casserole from the stove top. With tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the beef chunks. Strain the remaining liquid through a sieve set over a bowl, pressing on the vegetables to collect all the juices. Return the liquid to the casserole. Discard the vegetables. If the sauce appears too thin, boil it rapidly until it reduces slightly, about 10 minutes.
Preparing the garniture
In a saucepan, blanch the matchsticks or lardons of bacon (this makes them less greasy). Clean and quarter the mushrooms. Blanch and peel the onions. In a frying pan over medium heat, brown the lardons until they are lightly golden (but not crisp) and the fat has rendered. Remove them from the pan and, in the remaining bacon fat, sauté the mushrooms until they begin to release their juices; season with salt and freshly ground pepper and remove from the pan. Heat the tablespoon of oil and sauté the onions, turning them so that they brown on as many sides as possible. Add ½ cup of stock or water, season again, bring to a boil, cover, and cook until the onions are tender, about 10 minutes.
Return the meat to the casserole and stir in the bacon-mushroom-onion garniture. Bring the stew to a quiet simmer. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings. Serve with buttered noodles or small boiled potatoes.