Beef bourguignon
Once I realized Mom’s pot roast was really just a pared-down version of this classic dish, I had to put the two together! A little Midwest and a lot of Julia Child in this one!
For the beef bourguignon:
– 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
– 3 lb chuck or rump beef roast
– 1 tbsp kosher salt
– 2 tsp black pepper
– 2 leeks, cleaned, trimmed, and sliced
– 3 cloves garlic
– 2 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
– 3 cups roughly chopped carrots
– 1 lb Cremini mushrooms
– 1 cup pearl onions, frozen and slightly thawed
– 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
– 2 cups beef stock
– 2 cups Côte du Rhône wine
– 2 sprigs fresh thyme
– 2 bay leaves
For the Parmesan polenta:
– 4 cups water
– 1 tbsp kosher salt
– 1 1/2 cups polenta
– 3/4 cup heavy cream
– 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
– 4 tbsp unsalted butter
INSTRUCTIONS:
For the beef bourguignon:
– Preheat oven to 325°F.
– In a 6- or 8-quart Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. While heating, cut the beef into roughly 1 1/2-inch pieces, removing any excess fat.
Salt and pepper the pieces of beef making sure to coat all sides. When the oil is heated, add about 1/3 of the beef, making sure the pieces do not touch each other. Allow to brown well on all sides, turning only once it is browned, about 2 minutes per side.
If the Dutch oven becomes too dark on the bottom between browning, add a few tablespoons of water to break up browned bits. Add more oil before continuing. Continue to brown meat and set aside on a plate.
– Once removed, add in the chopped leeks and garlic. Stir to briefly sauté, then add tomato paste. Stir and cook the tomato paste until the bottom of the Dutch oven is coated, 2-4 minutes. Add the carrots, mushrooms, and onions, along with the browned beef.
– Sprinkle the entire mixture with the flour and add the beef stock, wine, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and place in the oven without the lid.
– Cook until the liquid has reduced by half and the beef is fall-apart tender, 3-4 hours. Right before serving, make the polenta.
For the Parmesan polenta:
– In a 6-quart stockpot, bring water to a boil. Add salt. While whisking, slowly add the polenta, making sure not to add too fast to prevent lumps from forming.
Once I realized Mom’s pot roast was really just a pared-down version of this classic dish, I had to put the two together! A little Midwest and lot of Julia Child in this one!
