Beef Bourguignon Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 200 g of pancetta (or bacon)

  • 1.5 kg of beef chuck or shoulder, cut into chunks

  • 3 carrots (sliced)

  • 1 onion (sliced ​​into rings)

  • A pinch of ground pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 2 tablespoons of flour

  • 750 ml of red wine

  • 750 ml of beef stock

  • 1 tablespoon of Bovril

  • 1 tablespoon of tomato paste

  • 2 garlic cloves

  • Sprigs of thyme and parsley

For the glazed pearl onions:

  • 25 pearl onions

  • 2 tablespoons of butter

  • 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

  • Salt

  • Pepper

  • Parsley

  • Thyme

  • Bay leaf

Preparation:

Start by setting up your workspace with all ingredients. Remove the rind from the pancetta and cut it into strips. Sauté the pancetta in a pan with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Once browned, set it aside.

In the same oil, sear the beef (after patting it dry) until browned on all sides over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, clean, peel, and slice the carrots and onion. Once the meat is nicely browned, transfer it to the same dish as the pancetta and sauté the vegetables in the same pan.

Using either the same pan or an oven-safe pot, combine the meat, pancetta, and vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle over two tablespoons of flour. Place the pot in the oven uncovered at 165°C (about 330°F) for a few minutes to create a slight crust on the meat.

Remove the pot from the oven and pour in the red wine, beef stock, Bovril, tomato paste, and aromatic herbs. Make sure the meat is completely covered by the liquid before returning it to the stove. Once it begins to boil, take it off the stove and place it back in the oven.

Cook in the oven (top and bottom heat) at 160°C (320°F) for at least 3 hours.

Glazed Pearl Onions:

While the beef is cooking, prepare the pearl onions. Sauté them in olive oil and butter for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure they brown evenly. Once golden, add the aromatic herbs, a bit of beef stock, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes.

Once the beef is out of the oven and tender, add the glazed onions and let everything simmer together on low heat until the sauce thickens and reduces.