Beef Stew with Pearl Onions, Mushrooms, and Bacon

Name: Beef Stew with Pearl Onions, Mushrooms, and Bacon (Boeuf à la Bourguignonne)
Yield: Makes 8 Main-Course Servings
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 5 pounds [2.3 kg] beef chuck roast, preferably blade, cut into 1½-inch [4-cm] chunks; 1 bottle full-bodied red wine; 2 medium-size carrots, peeled, cut into ½-inch [1.5-cm] sections; 2 medium-size onions, chopped coarse; 2 cloves garlic, crushed, plus 2 cloves, chopped fine (for the fatback strips; optional); 1 medium-size bouquet garni; 4 tablespoons “pure” olive oil or vegetable oil (for sautéing the meat and vegetables), plus 2 tablespoons olive oil (for sautéing the mushrooms); 4 tablespoons “pure” olive oil or vegetable oil (for sautéing the meat and vegetables), plus 2 tablespoons olive oil (for sautéing the mushrooms); salt; ½ cup [375 ml] beef or veal broth (optional); ½ cup [375 ml] beef or veal broth (optional); 1 pint [335 g] pearl onions, or 16 walnut-size onions, peeled (see “Peeling Pearl Onions,”); 1 pint [335 g] pearl onions, or 16 walnut-size onions, peeled (see “Peeling Pearl Onions,”); 1 pound small cultivated mushrooms, preferably cremini pepper; 1 pound small cultivated mushrooms, preferably cremini pepper; ½ pound [225 g] thickly sliced bacon, cut into 1-inch [2.5-cm] strips; 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for an optional beurre manié); 3 tablespoons butter (for an optional beurre manié); 3 tablespoons butter (for an optional beurre manié); 3 tablespoons butter (for an optional beurre manié)

Boeuf à la Bourguignonne

Preparation info

Makes
8
Main-Course Servings

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Glorious French Food

By James Peterson

Published 2002

About

Ingredients

5 pounds [2.3 kg] beef chuck roast, preferably blade, cut into 1½-inch [4-cm] chunks
1 bottle

Europe
France
Main course
Mediterranean

Method

Stir the beef chunks in a bowl with the red wine, carrots, chopped onions, garlic, and bouquet garni and let them marinate in the refrigerator for 6 to 12 hours. Stir the meat and vegetables once or twice during the marinating. If you’re in a rush, skip the marinating.

If you’re larding the meat, toss the strips of fatback with the chopped garlic and let them marinate in the refrigerato