This delicious, classic dish from the Burgundy region of France is designed to showcase the wines for which the area is famous. (We like anything that celebrates wine. Oui, oui!) Beef Burgundy can appear at first glance as a mere stew, but those of us who have had the pleasure of making this dish know that during the hours it slowly cooks in the oven something magical happens. The flavors of the broth are intensified by the wine, and it thickens into a velvety smooth sauce. Once finished, the cuts of beef are so tender they almost seem to melt. Traditionally, Beef Burgundy is made with wine from the French province of Burgundy. If you have trouble finding a true Burgundy (they can be pretty pricy!), the best substitutes are Pinot Noirs from California or Oregon. We suggest serving this over our Perfect Rice Every Time (page 195) and with our Rockin’ Tomatoes Rockefeller (page 139).

　　

Ingredients

makes 6 servings

　　8 slices bacon, chopped

　　3 pounds stew meat or boneless beef chuck, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

　　Salt

　　1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for beef

　　1/3 cup all-purpose flour

　　2 yellow onions, chopped

　　1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

　　1 pound sliced button mushrooms

　　5 large garlic cloves, minced

　　3 1/2 cups beef broth (see page 201)

　　1 bottle dry red wine, preferably Burgundy

　　1/3 cup chopped fresh thyme leaves

　　1 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar

　　1 tablespoon tomato paste

　　1 bay leaf

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 2

Cook the bacon in a heavy ovenproof Dutch oven set over high heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate. Set aside.

　　

Step 3

Season the beef generously with salt and pepper, and toss in the flour. Working in three batches so as not to crowd the pot, add the meat to the pot with the rendered bacon fat. Cook the beef, turning to brown all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer the meat to a large bowl.

　　

Step 4

Into the same pot, add the onions, carrots, mushrooms, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper and cook until the vegetables are light brown, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the beef.

　　

Step 5

Add 1 1/2 cups of the broth to the pot. Bring to a boil and cook, scraping up browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until reduced to a glaze, about 8 minutes.

　　

Step 6

Return the meat and vegetables and their juices to the pot. Add the wine, thyme, brown sugar, tomato paste, bay leaf, and the remaining 2 cups of broth. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cover the pot and place it in the oven. Braise until the beef is tender, about 2 hours. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

　　

note

Step 7

When it comes to cooking with wine, Sandy follows the sage advice of Julia Child, who said, “If you do not have a good wine to use, it is far better to omit it, for a poor one can spoil a simple dish and utterly debase a noble one.”

　　From The Casserole Queens Cookbook by Crystal Cook & Sandy Pollock. Copyright © 2011 by Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock; Food photographs copyright © 2011 by Ben Fink. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers.Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock, the Casserole Queens, have been delivering casseroles in Austin, Texas, since 2006; they also teach cooking classes at Whole Foods stores in the area. They have been featured on Food Network's Throwdown! with Bobby Flay and Bobby Flay Radio on Sirius XM, as well as on television news and radio talk shows.