Recipe
Boeuf Bourguignon
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Yield:

My kind of dish apart from coq au vin, would probably be boeuf bourguignon. Boeuf bourguignon is a classic French recipe, where beef is braised in red wine with garlic, onions, carrots, bouquet garni, pancetta/lardons (bacon), and mushrooms. If you look at both recipes for boeuf bourguignon and coq au vin, they don’t look different at all. In fact, both dishes are similar in the ingredients used. Except for the fact that one uses beef, the other uses chicken.
When I cook stew dish boeuf bourguignon, I always make extra portions so that I can keep it for the next 2 days. The taste of boeuf bourguignon gets better the day after. This applies to most of the stew dishes I think. As mentioned before, marinating meat is essential. It is one of the best ways to give it more flavour and to tenderize it at the same time. I am pretty clueless as in which part of meat I should be using for stew dishes. Not long ago, I found a website for reference, learning about different parts of meat cuts for beef and and lamb. From there, I have learnt that best cuts of meat that can be used for braising are: all roasts, briskets, shanks, chunk steaks, top round steaks, short ribs and back ribs. I bought chunk steaks for boeuf bourguignon.

Boeuf bourguignon has got a rustic feel and taste, that is great to beat the cold weather (yes, it’s still cold) at this time of the year. Perhaps, make this dish to warm your other half’s heart on a special day like today – Valentine’s Day. Well, I haven’t forgotten about the giveaway, of course! In fact, I have made the random draw based on the unique email address for the comments that I received. So, we have got a winner! One winner out of 57 participants! The winner is… according to www.random.org/draws/details/?draw=1524, is……The Little Teochew!!!! You can click on the link provided and entered your email address to verify if you wish. Oh, well done to Ju at The Little Teochew!! I will be in touch soon.
Meanwhile, I will leave you with the recipe of boeuf bourguignon.

Boeuf Bourguignon
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Yield:
Ingredients:
For the Boeuf Bourguignon
1.5kg beef blade or chunk steak
750ml red wine
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bouquet garni
70g butter
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2-3 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tbsp flour
200g bacon, cut into short strips
300g french shallots, peeled and leave whole
200g small button mushrooms
Method:
1. Cut the meat into 4cm cubes and trim away any excess fat. Put the meat, wine, garlic, bouquet garni in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge for at least 3 hours and preferably overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Drain the meat, reserving the marinade and bouquet garni. Dry the meat on paper towels. Heat 30g of the butter in a large casserole dish. Add the onion, carrot and bouquet garni and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Heat 20g of the butter in a large frying pan over high heat. Fry the meat in batches for about 5 minutes, or until well browned. Add to the casserole dish.
4. Pour the reserved marinate into the frying pan and boil, stirring, for 30 seconds to deglaze the pan. Remove from the heat. Return the casserole to high heat and sprinkle the meat and vegetables with the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the meat is well coated with the flour. Pour in the marinade and stir well. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, then cover and cook in the oven for 2 hours.
5. Heat the remaining butter in the clean frying pan and cook the bacon and shallots, stirring, for 8-10 minutes, or until the shallots are softened but not browned. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, or unitl browned. Drain on paper towels. Add the shallots, bacon and mushrooms to the casserole.
6. Cover the casserole dish and return to the oven for 30 minutes, or until the meat is soft and tender. Discard the bouquet garni. Season and skim any fat from the surface before serving.
Lee Mei!!!! Thank you so much!!! You are my lucky star. 🙂 Xie xie ni. This is a great start to my New Year. He he he … ROAR!!
Ju,
Congrats! You are really lucky!! I hope you will love the cups!
Wow, I must try this. Do you put together a bouquet garni or is it readily available in the market? What do you use if you put it together? Fresh or dry ingredients? Thanks. Wendy
I bought dried bouquet garni that is available in the market. You can put it together if you like, fresh or dry doesn’t matter. Bouquet garni consists of 1 bay leaf, 3 sprigs parsley and 3 sprigs of thyme.
Thank you for the information on bouquet garni.
You’re welcome 😉
Lovely photos! I normally cook a large batch too whenever I'm making stew 🙂
Thanks! Yes, I cook a large batch usually to have an excuse not to cook the next day.. haha
That plate of food looks so comforting and flavorsome I want to just tuck in!!!!
Please do!! 🙂
The mushrooms must be superbly plump and juicy tasting of the essence 😉
Happy Chinese New Year to you 🙂
Yeah, I have to admit that the mushrooms are full of flavours! Happy Chinese New Year to you too! 🙂
Ahhh this is one of my favourite comfort foods, especially in winter. Yours looks great, so hearty. Thanks for the link to Thundering Hooves (love that name!), I know very little about cuts of meat and tend to wing it! 😛
Have a very happy Chinese New Year! x
I don't know much about cuts of meat, that link is definitely a good reference. 🙂
Beautiful photos! I definitely agree that extra portions are in order because boeuf bourguignon tastes even better the next day.
Thank you! Yup, it definitely more yummy the next day.. hehe 🙂
Congratulations to Ju !
Boeuf bourguignon is a such comforting dish…
It is… 🙂
Can never pronounce the word "Bourguignon"…. 🙁
lovely photos 🙂
Yes, it is indeed not the easiest way to pronounce.. LOL
I have to learn to make such great looking beef stew like yours one day.
Happy New Year, Gong Xi Fa Cai!! 🙂
hehe, it's really easy… Gong Xi Fa Cai to you too!
Congrats JU!!! I've always wanted to cook this..looks so good! Happy CNY!
Happy CNY too!
This looks super delicious! And your photography is perfect too! Last but not least, congrats to Little Teochew!
Thanks!
Hope you had a great CNY holiday. This stew looks great and the photos so fab! BTW congrats Ju and happy cooking.
Gong Xi Fa Cai to you too.
I really must cook this. it comes into my life in too many ways for me to put it off any longer!
Give it a go!