Beef Stew

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For years, mom made beef Bourguignon by following the famous Julia Child recipe. It took her hours and hours, and was absolutely fantastic, but there had to be an easier way. Turns out, there really is a super easy way, which we liked as much if not better. What can we say, we prefer simple and rustic-no carrots or potatoes to fill you up, and why on earth would you strain out the delicious onions?

If you want to be super quick about it, just throw everything in a slow cooker, minus the bacon. It will still be delicious, but browning the beef and adding bacon adds richness and flavor.

Maggie’s Beef Stew

Ingredients

  • 4 to 6 strips bacon
  • 3 pounds beef chuck or brisket, cubed
  • 1/3 cup flour for dusting beef, ie Wondra
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 1/2 cups red wine
  • 1 or 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 cups beef (or chicken) stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 cup peas, optional
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325F.
  • Chop the bacon strips into small pieces.
  • Brown the bacon in a large Dutch oven on the stove.
  • Meanwhile, salt the beef cubes and toss with flour.
  • Remove the bacon to a warm plate, then add beef cubes to the bacon grease and brown on all sides. Don’t crowd the pan- brown in two or three batches.
  • Remove the beef to the plate with the bacon.
  • Add onions to the pan and brown, about 4 minutes.
  • Add the whole garlic cloves and sauté briefly.
  • Add 1/2 cup of red wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up all the burned bits.
  • Add tomato paste and stir until well combined.
  • Add the stock and the rest of the wine, and bring to a boil.
  • Add the thyme and bay leaves. Cover the pot and put on a lower rack in the over.
  • Roast for two hours. Check if the beef is falling apart, if not, bake an additional 20 minutes.
  • If using peas, add them to the pot 15 minutes before removing from the oven.
  • If using mushrooms, sauté them in butter, then add to the pot before serving.
  • Serve with mashed potatoes, boiled egg noodles, or just a crusty baguette. And a glass of red wine, of course!
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