Beef Bourguignon – Beef Stew with Wine

This recipe is from Moogie.

4 servings

Brown cubes of

1 pound lean stew beef (not round steak) in:

2 T olive oil

Drain excess fat and place beef in an oven proof dish with:

1 ½ T flour*
1 t salt [I omit or reduce]
Course pepper to taste
Bay leaf
½ t thyme
1 T dried onion flakes

Cover mixture with:

 ½ red wine, ½ water

and cook in a slow oven (275 degrees F) about 45 minutes. Add 12 small peeled onions and 8oz mushrooms [sliced unless mushrooms are very small]. And continue cooking another hour and a quarter. Or this stew may be simmered on the top of the stove for about an hour and one half if preferred.

* January 2013: See Browning for discussion on whether to flour meat before browning, not at all, or as Julia Child does after initial browning.  This post also notes heating pan to 400 to 450 degrees before adding oil will minimize contents sticking to the pan.  Consider using Ms. Childs method:


After the beef is browned, it instructs, "Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper.  Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle portion of preheated [450 degrees F] for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to the oven for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.)"  --- Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961 edition), page 316


VARIATIONS:

Add carrots and/or potatoes cut in bite size chunks with the mushrooms (more liquid may be required if additional vegetables are added).

Add minced parsley just before serving.

Reviewed 5/7/17