Boeuf Bourguignon
Pretty classic recipe. I used Top round, but a fattier cut would be better. Always use cheaper fatty cuts for long braised dishes, using expensive sirloins or filets is a waste of money, and it won’t come out nearly as good (read: don’t listen to Guy Fieri’s or Ina Garten’s contessa recipe). I rendered about 3 strips of cubed bacon of it’s fat, and seared the salt seasoned cubed beef in batches. You can dredge the beef in flour if you want, it’ll make the sauce thicker in the end, but I was lazy so I didn’t. Sauté some sliced button mushrooms and pearl onions and reserve for later. Deglaze with Pinot Noir or a cheap Burgundy, and add a few bay leaves, some rosemary, thyme, some black pepper, about a tablespoon of tomato paste, and some chopped carrots, and all the beef. Cover and simmer for hours, I think it took about 2 hours to get to the right tenderness, but you can probably do all day in a slow cooker just don’t skip the searing and deglazing step (do it in a seperate pot). Before serving, stir in the mushrooms, onions, and bacon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over egg noodles, or with a crusty chewy bread.
