Beef Bourguignon by Julia Child

By mrshermes2002

A timeless French recipe brought to America by the great Julia Child, these flavors will live with us forever as we continue to cook in her legacy.

Ingredients

• 6 ounces applewood bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, unpeeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 head garlic, unpeeled cloves separated and lightly crushed
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 dried bay leaves
• Pinch of whole black peppercorns
• 10 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, cut in half, plus 3 tablespoons chopped, for garnish
• 1 bottle red wine, such as Pinot Noir
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 pound pearl onions
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 12 ounces white mushrooms, caps quartered and stems removed and trimmed on the bias to same size as cap pieces

Preparation

Step 1

Special equipment: 2 large pieces of cheesecloth and kitchen twine.

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

In a Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp; remove to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Working in batches, place the beef in the pot in a single layer, sear until dark brown on all sides and remove to a plate. Reserve the fat in the pot.

Place the pot over medium heat and whisk the flour into the reserved fat. Slowly whisk in the beef broth and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Return the beef and bacon to the pot.

Cut 2 large pieces of cheesecloth and lay them on a clean work surface to form a cross. Pile the onion, carrots, garlic cloves, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns and 10 parsley sprigs in the center. Gather the ends together to form a bundle and tie closed with kitchen twine. Place in the pot.

Add the wine and tomato paste to the pot, cover and transfer to the oven. Cook until the beef is tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove and discard the cheesecloth bundle. Remove the beef to a plate. Bring the remaining liquid in the pot to a boil and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and return the beef to the pot. Add the pearl onions.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the pot. Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve.