Keyword beef bourguignon, comfort food, family meals, low and slow, slow cooking, stew
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 2 hourshours30 minutesminutes
Total Time 3 hourshours
Servings 6people
Cost £
Ingredients
Olive oil for frying
1kghigh welfare braising steak (chuck or cheek) cut into 5 cm pieces
2tbspplain flour to dust the beef
250gsmoked (fatty) bacon or lardons
150g button mushrooms
2tbspbutter
250gbutton onions or shallots, peeled but left whole Nb: if your baby shallots are hard to peel, soak in hot water then peel)
1onion, chopped
4garlic cloves, finely chopped
4tbspbrandy
750mlgood red wine
Bay leaf, fresh parsley and thyme sprig, tied together with string
Instructions
Heat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan.Pour a glug of oil into a large, lidded, flameproof casserole over medium heat.
Toss the beef in the flour, then add to the pan in batches. Brown well, then transfer each batch to a large bowl.
Add another splash of oil into the casserole dish and fry the bacon/lardons until crisp.Heat another splash of oil in the casserole. Add the bacon and fry until crisp.Add the butter and button onions/shallots, garlic, chopped onion and fry gently until (8-10 minutes). Now, add the beef back in and pour in the brand and scrape the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.Add the wine and bring to the boil, then add the herbs and bring back to the boil. Cover, transfer to the oven and cook for 2½-3 hours until the beef is tender.NB: 30 mins before you serve, add the button mushrooms and stir in. If you want, you can fry them off in button first to give them a more nutty flavour and then add in 5 mins before serving.
Remove the casserole from the oven, stir the stew, then taste and season.Scoop out the herbs (discard).Serve with mashed potatoes and greens.