We often make this beef stew on the same day we make the first fire of the season. Make it a day ahead or freeze for later; it only gets better and better. My father thinks I use too many mushrooms, but I like it that way. You should make it the way you like, too. We serve ours with buttered egg noodles, but it’s also great with mashed potatoes or rice.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Serves: 8
Ingredients
170g slab bacon
1.3kg chuck, blade, or shank beef roast
2 tablespoons of kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ tablespoons of unsalted butter
455g sliced mushrooms
2 medium yellow onions, diced
4 whole carrots, sliced
1 large celery stalk, minced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups fruity red wine
3 cups chicken or beef broth
Method
Remove the skin from the bacon and cut into 1x1x2.5cm pieces. Sauté in a heavy 12-quart (11.3l) dutch oven (or sauce pot with a lid) until beginning to brown but still tender. Remove the bacon pieces and set aside.
Cut the beef into 2.5cm dice and toss with the salt. Sauté the beef in the bacon fat (in batches if necessary) until nicely browned. Remove the beef and reserve. Pour off most of the fat and discard.
Lower the heat to medium low and add the butter. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula. Add the mushrooms, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme leaves, and bay leaf with a pinch of salt and sauté until the vegetables just begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.
Sprinkle the flour on top of the vegetables and mix well. Continue to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the wine and the broth. Scrape the bottom of the pan to incorporate the fond (yummy brown bits on the bottom). Add the beef and the bacon into the pot. Stir well.
Simmer on the stove top until the beef is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours and skim any fat that collects on the surface.
Let’s Cook French, is a fun, interactive, bilingual family cookbook that introduces the art and joy of French cooking from Claudine Pépin—featuring 30 classic recipes, along with notes on French culture and suggested menus for your next family soirée.
Recipe — Claudine Pépin | Illustrations — Jacques Pépin
