Description
Hearty French beef stew brings rustic Burgundy comfort to dinner tables with tender meat simmered in rich red wine. Fragrant herbs and robust vegetables create a soul-warming dish that connects you with classic French countryside cooking.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 2 lbs (907 grams) beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb (454 grams) cremini mushrooms, halved
- 12 pearl onions, peeled
Liquids and Seasonings:
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 2 cups beef stock
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare all ingredients and equipment, ensuring the oven is precisely heated to 350°F for optimal cooking.
- Render bacon in a Dutch oven until crisp and golden, extracting maximum flavor from the fat, then reserve the bacon pieces.
- Pat beef chunks dry, season thoroughly, and sear in the bacon drippings until a rich, caramelized crust forms on each piece.
- Introduce chopped onions and carrots to the pot, sweating them until they become translucent and fragrant, approximately 5 minutes.
- Incorporate minced garlic and tomato paste, stirring vigorously to develop a deep, complex flavor profile.
- Dust vegetables with flour, creating a light coating that will help thicken the stew’s sauce during cooking.
- Deglaze the pot with red wine, scraping accumulated browned bits from the bottom to capture intense flavor concentrations.
- Pour beef stock into the mixture, adding bay leaf and thyme sprigs for aromatic depth.
- Return seared beef and crispy bacon to the liquid, ensuring all ingredients are well-distributed.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then cover and transfer to the preheated oven for approximately 2.5 hours.
- Midway through cooking, gently stir the stew to prevent sticking and ensure even heat distribution.
- Separately sauté mushrooms and pearl onions in a combination of butter and olive oil until beautifully caramelized.
- Introduce the golden mushrooms and onions during the final 30 minutes of cooking to preserve their texture.
- Once cooking is complete, remove herb sprigs, taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Allow the stew to rest briefly before serving, which helps flavors meld and intensify.
Notes
- Choose a robust, full-bodied red wine like Burgundy or Cabernet Sauvignon to enhance the rich flavor profile of the stew.
- Pat the beef dry before browning to ensure a perfect golden-brown crust that seals in moisture and develops deep, complex flavors.
- Allow extra cooking time for tougher cuts like chuck roast, which become incredibly tender and melt-in-your-mouth when slow-cooked.
- For a gluten-free version, replace wheat flour with cornstarch or arrowroot powder as a thickening agent, maintaining the stew’s luxurious texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg