Beef Bourguignon

Beef Bourguignon: Date Added: 11 Nov 2009 Ingredients:

1 1/2 kg. chuck steak cut in 1 inch pieces
1 large carrot, peeled, chunked
2 stick celery, roughly, chopped
2 bottle red wine
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 head of garlic, cut in half, horizontal
4 Bay Leaf
50 g unsalted butter
225 g smoked bacon, or, pancetta
450 g shallot, peeled
2 tbsp plain flour
375 g chestnut mushroom
300 ml beef stock
75 ml brandy
fresh flat-leaf parsley

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pan. Add the carrot, onion and celery and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the wine, thyme, garlic and 2 bay leaves. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Pour the marinade over the beef cubes in a large bowl. Allow to cool and refrigerate overnight. This is known as a cook marinade. Remove the beef from the marinade into a colander over a glass bowl. Reserve the marinade and set aside.

Heat 1 ounce of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan. Pat the cubes of beef dry with kitchen paper. Brown the beef in the pan and move it to a large casserole dish with the bacon and shallots.

Use three spoonfuls of the leftover marinade to deglaze the frying pan and pour this into the casserole dish. Stir the remaining marinade, the flour and the beef stock into the casserole, bring to the boil and place in the oven for 3 to 3 ½ hours, until the beef is very tender.

Halfway through the cooking, heat the remaining oil and brown the whole mushrooms. Add the brandy and cook for a minute or two. Add this to the casserole and return it to the oven for the remaining time.