Beef Bourguignon

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 2 Hours

 

 

Ingredients

 

1.6kg Braising Steak

4-5 tbsp. Sunflower Oil

Sea Salt (Flaked)

Black Pepper

200g Smoked Bacon

1 Large Onion (Finely Chopped)

2 Garlic Cloves (Crushed)

75cl Bottle Red Wine

2 tbsp. Tomato Puree

1 Beef Stock (Cube)

2 Large Bay Leaves

3 Sprigs of Thyme

25g Butter

450g Button Onions

300g Button Chestnut Mushrooms (Halved)

2 tbsp. Cornflour

2 tbsp. Cold Water

Chopped Parsley (to garnish)

 

Method

 

Cut the braising steak in to chunky pieces. Trim off any really hard fat.

Seaon the beef really well with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan.

Fry the beef in three batches over a medium high heat until nicely browned on all sides.

As soon as the beed is browned, transfer to a large casserole dish.

Pre-heat the oven to 170C/150C or Gas Mark 3

Pour a little more oil into the pan in which the beef was browned and dry the bacon for 2-3 minutes, or until the fat crisps and browns.

Scatter the bacon over the meat.

Add a touch more oil to the frying pan and fry the chopped onion over a low heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring often until softened.

Stir the garlic into the pan and cook for 1 more minute.

Add the onion and garlic to the pan with the meat and pour over the wine. Stir in the tomato puree and 150ml of water.

Crumble over the stock cude, add the herbs and bring to a simmer.

Stir well and cover with a lid and transfer to the oven.

Cook for a hour and a half or until the beef is almost completely tender.

While the beef is cooking peel the button onions. Put the onions in a heatproof bowl and cover with just boiled water.

Leave to stand for 5 minutes then drain.

When the onions are cool enough to handle, trim off the root close to the end so they don't fall apart and peel off the skin.

A few minutes before the beef is ready, melt half of the better in a large non-stick frying pan with a touch of oil and fry the onions over a medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Tip in to a bowl, add the remaining butter and mushrooms to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes over a fairly high heat until golden-brown.

Mix the cornflour with the water in a small bowl until smooth. 

Remove the casserole from the oven and stir in the cornflour mixture, followed by the onions and mushrooms. Return to the oven and cook for 45 minutes more.

To serve remove the thyme stalks. Sprinkle the casserole with the freshly chopped parsley and serve