Burgundy-Style Beef Stew

Boeuf à la Bourguignonne

There are many ways to say “beef stew” in French. In Provence, you might ask for daube; in Belgium, it’s called carbonnade and is made with dark beer. But the most famous of these regional stews is Burgundy’s, made with red wine and cooked slowly, until the flavors fully meld and the beef becomes meltingly tender.

8 oz. slab bacon, cut into ½ -inch slices and cut crosswise into ¼ -inch pieces

2 tbsp. canola oil

2½ lbs. trimmed boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 large carrot, roughly chopped

1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped

1 rib celery, roughly chopped

2 tbsp. tomato paste

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

¼ cup flour

2 cups beef or veal stock

1 750-ml. bottle full-bodied red wine, such as merlot

1 bouquet garni (1 sprig each parsley and thyme and 1 bay leaf, tied together with kitchen twine)

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

10 oz. button mushrooms, stemmed and quartered

32 pearl onions, peeled

¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish

Serves 8

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Cook the bacon in an 8-qt. Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate; pour off all but 2 tbsp. of the rendered fat.

2. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the oil to the Dutch oven. Working in batches, add the beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook, turning occasionally, until the beef is browned on all sides, 5–6 minutes. Transfer the beef to a plate and set aside. Add the carrots, onions, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Return the beef to the pot along with any juices, sprinkle with flour, and stir until the ingredients are well coated with flour. Add the stock, wine, and bouquet garni. Cover, transfer to the oven, and cook until the beef is tender, 2 ½ –3 hours.

3. Meanwhile, melt 1 tbsp. butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are soft and golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.

4. Add 1 tbsp. butter to the skillet along with the pearl onions and 2 tbsp. water. Cover partially and cook until the water evaporates and the onions are tender, about 4 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking the onions, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, 2–3 minutes more. Transfer onions to the bowl with the mushrooms and cover to keep warm.

5. Remove the beef from the oven. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a large bowl and cover to keep warm. Set a fine mesh strainer over a 4-qt. saucepan. Strain the cooking liquid, discarding solids, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook until reduced and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 10–12 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

6. To serve, divide the reserved beef between 8 serving bowls and pour some sauce over each serving. Divide the bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions evenly between the bowls, and garnish with the parsley leaves. Serve with crusty bread, if you like.