Active Time
- 1 hour 45 Minutes
Total Time
- 4 hour
- Yield
Serves: 8
Learn how to make this classic French red wine stew by Chef Ludo Lefebvre.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons grape seed oil or another neutral oil, divided
- 2 pounds 3 ounces beef for stew, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 bouquet garni (thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and parsley sprigs wrapped in a leek leaf and tied with kitchen twine)
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed (skins removed if desired)
- 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 quarts dry Burgundy red wine
- 2 1/4 cups fond de veau (alternatively, reduce 1 quart 2 ounces low-sodium beef stock by half)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Ground white pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 10 1/2 ounces pearl onions
- 10 1/2 ounces bacon, sliced crosswise
- 8 3/4 ounces button mushrooms, peeled and sliced
- Steamed potatoes or cooked pasta for serving
How to Make It
- Step 1
- Heat 1/2 cup grapeseed oil in a large enameled cast-iron Dutch oven over medium-high. Add beef in batches, cooking until browned on all sides. Return beef to pan. Reduce heat to medium and add bouquet garni and garlic cloves. Let simmer for a few minutes. Stir in flour.
Step 2
- Add wine and fond de veau. Season with salt and white pepper. Skim fat from the surface. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook for 3 hours, stirring and skimming occasionally.
Step 3
- Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium. Stir in 1/2 cup water and sugar. Add onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized about 10 minutes. Keep warm.
Step 4
- Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons grape seed oil in a second medium skillet over medium. Add bacon and mushrooms, and cook, stirring often, until bacon fat is rendered and mushrooms are lightly browned about 10 minutes. Discard fat; add bacon and mushrooms to onions.
Step 5
- When beef is cooked through and very tender, remove and discard the bouquet garni. Stir onions, bacon, and mushrooms into the beef mixture, and simmer for a few minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve very hot with steamed potatoes or pasta.
