Boeuf Bourguignon with Roasted Potatoes

Ever since Julia Child’s famous Boeuf Bourguignon recipe graced the American table, home cooks have thought of this rustic, yet elegant, meal as a dish to be conquered.

Boeuf Bourguignon is a French stew, heavy on wine and butter, with tender morsels of beef and root vegetables that nearly melt in your mouth. Its humble appearance is a façade that masks the rich complexity experienced with each bite. A dish this luxurious deserves not only proper preparation, but proper wine pairing as well.

It’s best to match the prominent flavors of a wine with the flavors in the main dish. For instance, a light summertime dinner of grilled fish and fresh fruit would pair well with a light clean white wine or sparkling wine. Whereas this hearty boeuf bourguignon recipe pairs best with a wine the can stand up to its full-bodied flavors.

For this dish, I would suggest wines with big bold flavors, like a Cabernet Sauvignon, a French Bordeaux, or a Red Zinfandel. These wines are often thought of as heavy, earthy, and even meaty. That’s just that right flavor profile to complement an amazing Boeuf Bourguignon!

You can purchase two bottles of the same wine, one for the boeuf bourguignon and one for drinking, or you can buy a decent bottle of wine for the stew and a better bottle for drinking. Just remember, the beef and vegetables will be completely saturated by the wine, so don’t buy a wine for this recipe that you wouldn’t drink.

Start by browning the bacon and beef, then add the vegetables and sauté to release their flavors.

Pour an entire bottle of hearty red wine over the meat and vegetables, along with some beef stock. Add a fresh bouquet garni (herb bundle) to the stew to flavor the broth.

Cover the pot and place it in the oven to slowly simmer for 2 1/2 hours until the meat is fork tender.

While the stew is simmering, roast some small new potatoes to serve with the boeuf bouguignon. I love using my KitchenAid® Double Ovens for this. It’s nice to be able to have two ovens working at the same time, set at different temperatures.

Once the meat is tender, whisk in the beurre manie’ (a butter and flour paste) to thicken the broth, creating a silky gravy.

Serve the boeuf bourguignon over the crispy roasted potatoes, with a glass of your favorite bold red wine.

Boeuf Bourguignon with Roasted Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 ounces chopped bacon
3 pounds beef top (or chuck) roast, cup into large 1 ½ inch chunks
2 pounds carrots, chopped into large chunks
2 onions, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 1/2 pounds crimini mushrooms, halved
1/2 cup Brandy
1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine (like a cabernet or zinfandel)
2 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bouquet garni (small fresh herb bundle with thyme, rosemary and a bay leaf)
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup flour
Salt and Pepper
3 pounds baby golden potatoes

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large 6 quart dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat until brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Next pat the beef chunks dry with a paper towel and salt and pepper to taste. Brown the beef on all sides. Then remove with a slotted spoon. (Work in two batches if needed).

Add the onions, garlic, and carrots to the pot. Cook and stir for several minutes until the onions have softened, then add the mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes.

Add all the meat back to the pot, followed by: brandy, wine, stock, and tomato paste. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir well.

Then add the bouquet garni and cover.

Place the covered dutch oven in the oven for approximately 2 -2 1/2 hours until the beef is very tender.

In the last hour of simmering, preheat the second oven to 450 degrees F.

Place the mini potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons oil, salt and pepper.

Roast for 35-45 minutes until tender, tossing once in the middle.

Once the beef is tender, mix half a stick of softened butter with 1/4 cup of flour. Use a fork to press into a paste.

Slowly stir the butter mixture into the stew until the desired thickness in reached—I like to add it all. Then cover and place the dutch oven back in the oven for 10 minutes to simmer and thicken.

Remove the bouquet garni and salt and pepper to taste. Serve the Boeuf Bourguignon in a shallow bowl with the roasted potatoes.