Boeuf Bourguignon (or it can become Irish Beef Stew)

This recipe is French when made with red wine but Irish when made with dark beer.

Servings: Serves 6

Ingredients to begin the stew

• 4 tablespoons cooking oil
• 3 pounds lean stewing beef , cut into 2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 stalk of chopped celery
• 1/2 of a chopped onion
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 3 cups full-bodied, young red wine , such as a Chianti (or a bottle of dark beer if you want to make an Irish Stew)
• 2 to 3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon

Ingredients added later in stew process

• 6 small red new potatoes
• 3 to 6 carrots, cut into long sticks
• 1 large chopped onion
• 6 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
•  2 teaspoons thyme
•  2 to 3 crumbled sage leaves
• 12 small white onions
• 1/2 pound quartered fresh mushrooms
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish

Directions to begin stew

In a deep, heavy stew pot heat 2 tablespoons of the oil.  Dredge the stew meat in the flour and then add to the pot.  Over medium high heat allow the meat and flour to brown occasionally turning the meat over.  Be careful not to scorch or burn the meat, but give it about 20 to 30 minutes to become really brown.  Next, stir in the tomato paste and keep moving the contents around until the tomato paste browns.  Then add the wine or beer to the pan and bring to a boil.  Stir in the broth, bay leaves, chopped celery, chopped carrot, and chopped onion; let this mixture simmer for about an hour and a half with the top on occasionally stirring.  I usually only add 2 cups of beef broth when I begin this process and then later add another cup of beef broth as the mixture thickens.


Directions for finishing the stew


When the first part of the stewing process is nearly finished, begin getting the vegetables ready for adding.  An easy way to prepare the potatoes is to poke the raw potatoes with a fork to prevent them from exploding during cooking and then place them on a plate in the microwave.  Set the microwave time for 2 minutes and then turn the potatoes over and cook them for another 2 minutes on the other side.  4 minutes is usually enough time.  When the potatoes cool, cut them in half so they can later easily absorb the stew liquid.  Set the potatoes aside.

Next, heat the other 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet and saute the chopped and small white onions as well as the carrots for about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and mushrooms and continue to saute for another 5 minutes.  Add all of these vegetables to the stew pot along with the mustard, crumbled sage leaves, and thyme.

Let the stew simmer for about another 15 minutes and then taste for seasoning.  Add salt and black pepper as you desire.


For immediate serving: Arrange the stew on a platter and sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish.  If you wish you can surround the stew with noodles or rice.

For later serving: When cold, cover and refrigerate. About 15 to 20 minutes before serving, bring to the simmer, cover, and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.  You may need to thin this mixture with some additional beef broth as it is reheating.  It will also reheat well in the microwave in individual serving bowls or plates.