Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients for 5 servings:

• 2 slices of bacon
• 1 ½ kg beef, cut into cubes
• ½ liter red wine, strong, dry
• 3 tbsp oil, neutral
• 2 onions, sliced
• 3 carrots, cut into small cubes
• 120 g celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 300 ml beef or veal stock
• 500 g mushrooms, sliced
• salt and pepper
• Parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 7 hours; Total time approx. 7 hours 45 minutes

French classic from the slow cooker

Preheat the slow cooker to “Low.” If you don’t have a slow cooker, preheat the oven to 150°C and have a casserole dish with an ovenproof lid ready. In a large skillet, fry the bacon until crispy and all the fat is rendered. Then remove the bacon from the skillet, let it dry on a paper towel, and set aside. Leave the rendered fat in the skillet. Lightly season the meat cubes with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet, leaving enough space between the cubes. Don’t add too much meat to the skillet at once; it’s better to brown the cubes in 4-5 batches. Sear the meat on all sides. Then add the meat cubes to the slow cooker or casserole dish. Add fat to the skillet and repeat until all the meat is seared. Add a splash of red wine to the skillet until the entire bottom is coated and use the red wine and a spatula to loosen any residue on the bottom. Add the contents of the skillet to the meat in the slow cooker. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Sauté the onion slices. Add the diced carrots and diced celery to the onions, stir, and cook until softened. Add the chopped garlic and tomato paste and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Deglaze with a splash of red wine. Add the vegetable mixture to the meat in the slow cooker or casserole dish. Thoroughly mix the meat and vegetables in the slow cooker with 1 teaspoon of salt. Pick the thyme leaves and stir them in, then add the bay leaf. Top up with the remaining red wine and the stock until the pot is 3/4 full with liquid. Cover the slow cooker and simmer on low for 6-8 hours. Do not lift the lid of the slow cooker or stir. If not using a slow cooker, cover and cook in the casserole dish in the oven at 150°C for about 2 1/2 hours. Fry the sliced ​​mushrooms with a pinch of salt in a tablespoon of oil until they have released their liquid and the mushrooms are lightly browned. Finally, add the diced bacon and the mushrooms, stir to combine, and cook everything for another 15 minutes on the slow cooker’s “high” setting or in the oven. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Serve with boiled potatoes, rice, wide pasta, and a green or lamb’s lettuce salad as a side dish. A baguette is a must for dipping the sauce. This dish can also be made with other types of meat, such as game or pork.