Best Ever Beef Bourguignon

Last year I posted a recipe for Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon that I've made a few times and is delicious. I've been wanting to make this recipe in my dutch oven instead of in the slow cooker, so I looked back at the original recipe website and found a recipe for Best Ever Beef Bourguignon on the same website. This was exactly what I was looking for. It's very similar to the slow cooker version with a few changes, and I made a few changes myself.

I made this with 3 pounds of beef chunks from Giant. They were fine but ones I bought previously from Costco have tasted the best, so from now on I will try to get them there instead. I cut the beef chunks into much smaller bite-sized pieces. I left out the bacon because the last time I made this in my slow cooker, there was a heavy smokey flavor and I don't like when food tastes smokey. I love bacon but I actually thought it tasted much better this time around without the bacon! I also left the onions out. I added 24 ounces of baby potatoes and cut them in quarters which helped give them more flavor. I used 16 ounces of mushrooms instead of 8 ounces because I love mushrooms! I used an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce and left out the tomato paste. OK, I guess I made more than a few changes, but wanted to remember for next time what I did. I thought this tasted really good but would maybe use more carrots and less or no potatoes next time.

This recipe was so good and I love how easily you can adapt it to your liking. I also enjoyed making it in my dutch oven (I used my 6.75-qt. Le Creuset oval dutch oven which was the perfect size) and thought it tasted better than the times I made it in the slow cooker. I started this around 3:30pm and took my time cutting everything up and it was ready around 6:30pm. It made 4-5 servings.

Best Ever Beef Bourguignon

Recipe Adapted from The Recipe Critic Blog

 

Beef Bourguignon is a French classic made with melt in your mouth beef, mushrooms, carrots, and red wine and is cooked to perfection in the most delicious rich sauce.  A hearty and comforting meal that you will make again and again!

3½ Tablespoons olive oil

6 slices bacon (optional)

3 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes

Salt and pepper

2 carrots, sliced

10-12 small pearl onions OR 1 small white onion diced (optional)

8 or 16 ounces mushrooms, sliced

2 cups red wine, young and full-bodied (like Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone or Burgundy)

2 cups beef stock

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

½ cup tomato sauce

¼ cup flour

2 cloves mashed garlic

½ teaspoon thyme

Bay leaf

 

 

Preheat the oven to 350° if making in the oven; otherwise, it can be made on the stove.

 

In a large dutch oven over medium high heat add the olive oil and bacon pieces. Cook until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon.

 

Salt and pepper the beef and add it to the pot and sear on each side for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the dutch oven.

 

Add the carrots, pearl onions, and mushrooms and sauté 2-3 minutes until tender. Remove and set aside.

 

Add the red wine to the skillet, scraping down the sides and allow to deglaze. Add the beef stock, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and whisk in the flour.

 

Add the beef and the vegetables and bacon back to the pot and stir. Add garlic, thyme and bay leaf.

 

If making in the oven, put a lid on the pot and let it simmer in the oven for 1½ to 2 hours until the beef is tender.

 

If making on the stovetop, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a low and simmer. Cover and let cook 1½ to 2 hours or until beef is tender.

 

Note: You can also add in the sautéed mushrooms 10 minutes before serving.

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

My sister Caterina sent me a recipe for Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon a while ago that I never made until today. I have really been missing out! This was so delicious. It has been really cold out lately and my husband had the day off from work, so I took the opportunity to prepare this while he was home to spend time with our toddlers. It took me a little while to prepare it but it was completely worth the effort. My husband and I each had a serving and I also froze two small containers of the leftovers. I had my beef cubes freezer wrapped in 2-pound packages so I only used 2 pounds of beef, but 3 pounds would have been better. If you love mushrooms, add some more. 8 ounces was fine but more is always better! Also, I used soy sauce since that's what the recipe says, and I didn't realize until after making it that in the comments section of the recipe link above, the blogger says to use Worcestershire sauce, but in her recipe and all throughout her post she says to use soy sauce. Either one will work so use whichever you have on hand!

Edit: Other times I made this I made a few changes. I bought beef chunks from Costco which were really good and tender compared to the ones I used the first few times I made this that were from the Amish Market. I cut the beef chunks into much smaller bite-sized pieces. I cut the baby potatoes which helped give them more flavor. I used a 16 ounce bag or approximately 3 cups of baby carrots instead of slicing whole carrots. I used 2 teaspoons dried thyme instead of 2 tablespoons of fresh thyme, but it tasted like too much to me so next time I will try only 1 teaspoon. And I used 16 ounces of baby bella mushrooms.

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

Recipe Adapted from The Recipe Critic Blog

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon has crazy tender melt in your mouth beef and hearty veggies slow cooked to perfection in a rich sauce.  This meal is comforting and perfect for the cold months ahead!

5 slices bacon, finely chopped

3 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut to 1-inch cubes

1 cup red cooking wine

2 cups beef broth

½ cup tomato sauce

¼ cup soy sauce OR Worcestershire sauce*

¼ cup flour

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons thyme, finely chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme)

5 medium carrots, sliced

1 pound baby potatoes

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium high heat until crisp. Put bacon in slow cooker. Salt and pepper the beef and add to the skillet and sear on each side for 2-3 minutes. Transfer beef to the slow cooker. Drain fat from the skillet.

Add the red wine to the skillet, scraping down the brown bits on the side. Allow it to simmer and reduce and slowly. Add beef broth, tomato sauce, and soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce. Slowly whisk in the flour until the sauce thickens. Add the sauce to the slow cooker.

Add garlic, thyme, carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms to the slow cooker. Give it a good stir and cook on low until beef is tender for 8-10 hours or high for 6 hours. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, if desired.

Note: The recipe calls for soy sauce, but the author also says that using Worcestershire sauce instead tastes better. Use whichever one you prefer!

Chicken Stew with Dumplings

I happened to stop by my sister Maria's house earlier this week when she was making Chicken Stew with Dumplings. I had already eaten but I had a small bowl of it and it was delicious! It is a very hearty soup, and the addition of dumplings makes it even better! Using chicken thighs works best, as they don't dry out as much as chicken breasts would. I use about 4 chicken thighs and make this in my 5.5-quart dutch oven or my 6.75-qt wide round dutch oven. This is a great fall or winter recipe!

Chicken Stew with Dumplings

Recipe Courtesy Williams-Sonoma

 

To add extra flavor to the stew, you can make cheese or herb dumplings. Simply stir 1 cup grated cheddar or Asiago cheese or 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives, basil or parsley into the dry ingredients and proceed with the recipe.

 

Stew:

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces

2 Tablespoons butter

3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups chicken broth

½ cup baby peas

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 Tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

 

Dumplings:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

½ cup milk

 

Cook the chicken and vegetables
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter (or you can use olive oil). Add the chicken and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 4 minutes. Add the carrots, celery and onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the vegetables begin to soften and the chicken is opaque, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of flour and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Gradually pour in the broth, add the peas and bring to a boil.

Make the dumpling dough
Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine 2 cups of flour, baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in 8 tablespoons of butter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs the size of peas. Add milk and stir, then knead a few times until the mixture forms a soft dough.

Finish the stew
Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough over the top of the boiling stew. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and cook until the dumplings have nearly doubled in size, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.

 

Serves 4.