Beef Bourguignon Provencal
Classic French Provencal dish usually cooked in a heavy casserole on the stove top or in the oven; would also work well in slow cooker. Use inexpensive stewing beef or oyster blade; it will not be anywhere near as good if you use more expensive cuts of beef.
Yield
8 servingsPrep
45 minCook
150 minReady
200 minIngredients
| Amount | Measure | Ingredient | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | pounds |
stewing beef
(2Kg) gravy beef or oyster blade chopped into 11/2 inch cubes |
|
| 2 | ounces |
butter
(60 grams) |
|
| ½ | pound |
bacon
(250 grams) in one piece chopped into 1/2 inch dice |
|
| 2 | tablespoons |
unbleached all-purpose flour
|
|
| 2 | cups |
red wine
(500ml) full bodied red |
*
|
| 1 | cup |
beef stock
(250ml) |
|
| 1 | each |
beef bouillon cubes
or 125 ml of beef demi glaze |
*
|
| 4 | each |
shallots
(or use small pickling onions) - finely chopped |
*
|
| 3 | cloves |
garlic
finely chopped |
|
| 2 | tablespoons |
tomato paste
|
|
| 1 | each |
bouquet garni
3 bay leaves,5 parsely stalks and 2 sprigs thyme tied together with string |
*
|
| 14 | small |
onions
peeled but left whole with root end intact |
|
| ½ | pound |
mushrooms, button
(250 grams) left whole |
|
| 3 | tablespoons |
italian parsley
chopped |
|
Ingredients
| Amount | Measure | Ingredient | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3 | kg |
stewing beef
(2Kg) gravy beef or oyster blade chopped into 11/2 inch cubes |
|
| 57.8 | ml/g |
butter
(60 grams) |
|
| 226.8 | g |
bacon
(250 grams) in one piece chopped into 1/2 inch dice |
|
| 3E+1 | ml |
unbleached all-purpose flour
|
|
| 473 | ml |
red wine
(500ml) full bodied red |
*
|
| 237 | ml |
beef stock
(250ml) |
|
| 1 | each |
beef bouillon cubes
or 125 ml of beef demi glaze |
*
|
| 4 | each |
shallots
(or use small pickling onions) - finely chopped |
*
|
| 3 | cloves |
garlic
finely chopped |
|
| 3E+1 | ml |
tomato paste
|
|
| 1 | each |
bouquet garni
3 bay leaves,5 parsely stalks and 2 sprigs thyme tied together with string |
*
|
| 14 | small |
onions
peeled but left whole with root end intact |
|
| 226.8 | g |
mushrooms, button
(250 grams) left whole |
|
| 45 | ml |
italian parsley
chopped |
|
Directions
Mix the wine, stock, demi-glace (or use a stock cube), tomato paste & garlic in a glass measure and set aside. Tie the herbs together with kitchen string to make a bouquet garni.
In a large, flame-proof, heavy bottomed casserole…
Heat butter and fry bacon (kaiserfleisch) until crisp – remove & set aside.
Brown the beef cubes well (most important to develop rich flavour) in batches (do not crowd) and set aside on a plate – don’t worry about the bottom of the casserole if it is starting to stick. It's that fond that will deliver the flavour.
Return all the beef to the casserole and sprinkle in the flour – stir for few moments or until you can no longer see any specks of white flour.
Pour in the liquids and garlic.
Add the chopped shallots and herbs and good grind of pepper
Bring to the boil & reduce heat to a low simmer; pop on the lid and simmer for 1¾ hours.
Brown the whole onions in a skillet with a knob of butter; add to casserole and continue cooking for a further half hour.
Brown the mushrooms in a skillet with a knob of butter and mushrooms and cooked kaiserfleisch (bacon) to casserole; - cook for 15 minutes or so uncovered.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
Serve with egg noodles or dry roasted potatoes and crusty bread and a glass of the same red wine that you used to cook the beef.
