My mother will be the first to tell you that she isn’t a great cook, but she did pull out a few great recipes when we had company. One of them was Beef Burgundy.
After I had my first child Virginia, almost 25 years ago, my mother flew to visit us in Michigan and to cook for me that first week as I fumbled into my new motherhood. I was very grateful for the help. The meal I remember best is her Beef Burgundy, served with parsleyed potatoes, a green salad with a vinaigrette dressing and a piece of crusty French bread slathered with butter. It was delicious and restoring and just what I needed to strengthen up for my new life as mother, wife and career woman.
Here is FFTA’s often-tested and deliciously true American-ized version of the great French recipe Boeuf a la Bourguignonne or Beef Burgundy.
Brown one cup of chopped bacon.
Using a paring knife, remove the bottom of approximately 20 pearl onions. Parboil the onions for a couple of minutes.
Remove from boiling water.
Place onions in ice-water bath for several minutes.
Squeeze each onion from the top out of its tough casing, through the hole created by the removal of the onion end.
Saute the pearl onions until golden. Remove from pan and set aside in a dish.
Cut 3 1/2 lbs. chuck roast into 2-in. cubes.
Peel and quarter three medium-sized onions.
Brown meat and onion quarters.
Remove browned meat and set aside.
Sprinkle flour into pan and stir until golden brown. Add garlic, wine, broth or water, bay leaf, thyme and parsley.
Season with salt and pepper.
Pour into dutch oven and place in preheated 325 degree Farenheit oven for about 3 hours.
Wash 3/4 lb. mushroom caps.
Tip: Add 1 Tbsp flour to the cold water and the dirt will come off more easily.
About 10 minutes before the beef burgundy is done, saute the mushroom caps in butter then add the mushrooms, bacon and pearl onions to the beef.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with parleyed potatoes, buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
Beef Burgundy
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 cup chopped bacon
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
20 pearl onions, capped, parboiled and peeled
3 12 lbs chuck pot roast, cut into 2-inch cubes (I buy my meat at Whole Foods whenever possible. It’s the best around.)
3 medium-sized onions, peeled and quartered
3 Tbsp flour
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups Burgundy wine or another red wine
1 cup broth or water
Bouquet garni (2 bay leaves, parlsey sprigs, 1/2 tsp thyme)
3/4 lb. mushroom caps
3 Tbsp butter
Fresh chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
In a Dutch oven, brown the bacon then remove from the pan and reserve for later use.
Using a paring knife, remove the bottom from each of the pearl onions and place in boiling water. Parboil for several minutes then remove with a slotted spoon to an ice-water bath for several minutes. Once cooled, holding the onion at the cut bottom, squeeze the onion out through the bottom. Repeat until you have peeled all 20 pearl onions.
Add the pearl onions to the bacon grease in the Dutch oven and cook until golden then remove and place to the side with the bacon.
Saute the beef and quartered onions in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. You will need to cook them in 2 or 3 batches so that you avoid overcrowding the pan.
Lower the heat and sprinkle in the flour, stirring until golden brown. Add the garlic, wine, broth or water, bouquet garni and meat.
Cover the Dutch oven and place in a pre-heated 325 degree F oven and cook for about 3 hours. Check during the cooking and add water or broth to the beef mixture as it cooks if the sauce appears to be getting too thick.
About 10 minutes before the beef cooking time is completed, saute the mushroom caps in butter and add them, the bacon and pearl onions to the stew. Cook in the oven for 10 more minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve and enjoy.
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