How To Make The Best Beef Bourguignon In Virginia
October 8, 2024
Ashburn, VA: Alcohol does not completely cook out of food. Last year I was helping my girlfriend prepare for a small Christmas Eve party. She summoned me because she loves my Beef Bourguignon and wanted my help making it for the guests. As we were making the stew, something hit me like a ton of bricks. One of the couples attending was Mormon. I looked over to my girlfriend and said “This stew has red wine in it. You know Andrew and Karrie can’t eat this, right?” My girlfriend looked at me like…
I just grew a third breast
Like she was trying to read the fine print without her glasses
She started to tell me how the wine cooks out, how it wouldn’t be a problem, etc. I asked her this:
How Do You Know For a FACT Alcohol Cooks Out
She paused. Then she gave me her most clever response. “How do you know for a fact it doesn’t cook out?” We needed to settle the debate. We went to the all-knowing Google machine and BAM! Article after article discussed how alcohol does not completely cook off. It only does if you are cooking your food for 3 hours or more. This stew was not going to take 3 hours. So we pulled out a separate pot to make an alcohol-free version for Andrew and Karrie.
If you make this stew for guests and want to make sure you don’t accidentally cause someone to relapse or sin, leave the alcohol out for them. Do like me and my girlfriend and just drink their portion while you cook.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 ounces (170g) bacon, roughly chopped
- 3 pounds (1 1/2 kg) beef brisket, trimmed of fat (chuck steak or stewing beef) cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 large carrot sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced (divided)
- 1 pinch freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon Bald Buck Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 12 small pearl onions (optional)
- 3 cups red wine like Merlot, Pinot Noir, or a Chianti — for a milder sauce, use only 2 cups of wine
- 2-3 cups beef stock (if using 2 cups of wine, use 3 cups beef stock)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 beef bullion cube, crushed
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped (divided)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pound fresh small white or brown mushrooms, quartered
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions:
Stove Top Instructions
- In a big Dutch oven or a sturdy pot, start by cooking the bacon in a tablespoon of oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until it’s crispy and golden. Scoop it out with a slotted spoon onto a big plate and set it aside.
- Dry the beef with a paper towel and brown it in the hot oil and bacon grease in batches. Make sure it’s browned on all sides, then place it with the bacon on the plate.
- Next, cook the carrots and chopped onions in the same pot until they’re soft, which should take about 3 minutes. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for another minute. If there’s extra fat, pour it off, then put the bacon and beef back in the pot. Season with Bald Buck Seasoning and black pepper. Sprinkle flour over it, stir everything well, and let it cook for 4-5 minutes to brown.
- Now, add in the pearl onions, wine, and just enough stock to barely cover the meat. Mix in the tomato paste, bouillon, and herbs. Cover the pot, bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer gently for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Stir it now and then, until the beef is really tender.
- When it’s almost done, prepare the mushrooms. Heat butter in a medium-sized skillet. Once the foam settles, add 2 cloves of minced garlic and let it become fragrant, which should be about 30 seconds. Toss in the mushrooms and cook them for 5 minutes, shaking the skillet occasionally to coat them in butter. Add Bald Buck Seasoning and pepper to taste, if you want.
- Put the browned mushrooms into the pot and let it all simmer together for another 3 to 5 minutes, stirring from time to time.
- Finally, garnish with parsley and serve it up with your choice of mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.
Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker Method
- Turn your Instant Pot or cooker to the SEAR setting (or use a pan on medium heat if you prefer). Cook the bacon in 1 tablespoon of oil until it’s crispy and golden. Remove it with a slotted spoon and put it aside.
- Dry the beef with a paper towel, then brown it in the oil and bacon grease in batches. Make sure it gets browned on all sides.
- Put the bacon back in the pot. Season with Bald Buck Seasoning and black pepper. Sprinkle flour over it, mix everything well, and cook on SEAR for another 4-5 minutes to brown.
- Now, add in the onions, pearl onions, carrots, wine, 2 cups of stock, tomato paste, 4 minced garlic cloves, bouillon, and herbs. Mix well, then cover and lock the lid. Press Keep Warm/Cancel to stop the Sauté function, and switch to MANUAL mode. Set it to HIGH PRESSURE and cook for 30 minutes.
- Once it’s cooked, let the pressure release naturally for 8-10 minutes. Then open the valve to let any remaining steam escape (for Instant Pot, switch the valve from sealing to venting).
- While the steam is releasing, you can prepare your buttered mushrooms (this is optional you can also add them directly without cooking in butter): Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 cloves of garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the mushrooms. Cook them for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan now and then to coat them with butter. Season with Bald Buck Seasoning and black pepper, to taste, if you like, and set them aside.
- Next, switch your Instant Pot or cooker back to the SEAR setting (or SAUTE) and stir everything well. Let the sauce thicken uncovered for another 5-10 minutes.
- Finally, add the buttered mushrooms, garnish with parsley, and serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.
Slow Cooker Method
- In a large frying pan or skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil for about 3 minutes, until it’s crispy and nicely browned. Then, move it to a 6-quart slow cooker bowl.
- Next, pat the beef dry with a paper towel and brown it in batches in the same oil and bacon grease. Once it’s browned on all sides, transfer it to the slow cooker with the bacon. Add in both types of onions and the carrots. Season with Bald Buck Seasoning and black pepper, giving everything a good toss to mix.
- Pour the red wine into the same pan or skillet and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes. Whisk in the flour until it’s smooth and lump-free. Let this mixture reduce and thicken a bit, then pour it into the slow cooker. Add 2 cups of stock, tomato paste, garlic, bouillon, and herbs.
- Stir everything in the slow cooker until it’s well combined. Cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 8 hours, until the beef is super tender and falls apart easily.
- When there’s about 5 minutes left in the cooking time, get the mushrooms ready. Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 cloves of garlic and cook until they’re fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the mushrooms. Cook them for about 5 minutes, shaking the skillet occasionally to cover them in butter. Season with Bald Buck Seasoning and black pepper, to taste, if you want. Add them to the Beef Bourguignon, stirring them into the sauce before serving.
- Finally, garnish with fresh parsley and serve it with your choice of mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.
Traditional Method (Oven)
- Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large Dutch oven or a heavy pot, heat the oil and then sauté the bacon over medium heat for about 3 minutes until it’s crispy and brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a large plate and set it aside.
- Dry the beef with paper towels and then brown it in batches in the hot oil and bacon grease. Make sure each piece is browned on all sides, then remove it to the plate with the bacon.
- Next, cook the carrots and chopped onions in the remaining oil and bacon grease until they’re soft, about 3 minutes. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for another minute. Pour off the excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot, and then return the bacon and beef to it. Season with Bald Buck Seasoning & black pepper. Sprinkle flour over everything, give it a good toss, and cook for 4-5 minutes to brown.
- Now add the pearl onions, wine, and enough stock to just cover the meat. Mix in the tomato paste, bouillon, and herbs. Let it simmer on the stove.
- Cover the pot and move it to the lower part of your oven. Let it simmer there for 2 to 3 hours, until the meat is very tender. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the liquid simmering slowly.
- With 5 minutes left in the cooking time, get the mushrooms ready. Heat butter in a medium skillet. Once the foam settles, add the remaining 2 garlic cloves and cook until they’re fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, shaking the skillet occasionally to cover them in butter. Season with Bald Buck Seasoning and black pepper, to taste, if you want. Once they’re browned, set them aside.
- Place a colander over a large pot in your sink and carefully pour the contents of the casserole into it, catching the sauce. Discard the herbs and put the beef mixture back into the pot. Add the mushrooms on top of the meat.
- Skim any fat off the sauce and simmer it for a couple of minutes. You should end up with about 2 1/2 cups of sauce that’s thick enough to lightly coat a spoon. If it’s too thick, add a bit of stock. If it’s too thin, boil it over medium heat for around 10 minutes until it’s the right consistency. Taste and adjust the Bald Buck Seasoning and pepper if needed. Then pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.
- If you’re eating it right away, simmer everything for 2 to 3 minutes to heat through. Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.
- If you’re serving it the next day, let the casserole cool completely, cover it, and refrigerate. The next day, take it out at least an hour before reheating. Heat it over medium-low heat, simmering gently for about 10 minutes, basting the meat and veggies with the sauce.
Pro Tips:
- Give it a taste test: Right after cooking, the wine flavor in the gravy might seem really strong. But don’t rush to change it! Let it sit for 15 minutes and the flavors will start to blend together nicely. The wine taste becomes much more subtle, and it turns out great. If you plan to serve it the next day, the flavors will be even better.
- Don’t skip out on the buttery garlic mushrooms. I found that if you add them at the beginning, they’ll shrink and disappear by the end. They’re amazing when added right from the pan, juicy and full of buttery goodness. I also added some garlic, salt, and pepper to them, which really boosted the overall flavor.
- Make sure to simmer the gravy. This step is key. After you strain the liquid, let it simmer for a minute or two. You’ll see it transform into a rich and glossy gravy right before your eyes. If the sauce is too thick, just add a few tablespoons of stock to thin it. But if it’s too thin, boil it over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until it reaches the right thickness. You’re aiming for about 2 1/2 cups of sauce that’s just thick enough to lightly coat a spoon.
- We use Pinot Noir but I don’t think the type of Red Wine you use matters all that much. Just don’t use cheap stuff (box wine, etc.) and you should be fine.
- Bald Buck Seasoning is key here. BBQ Pitmasters use it for their meat but I learned it makes for one hell of a seasoned salt. Try it in this dish but more importantly, experiment with it as the salt in your other dishes. It adds this unique flavor that is amazing but nobody will be able to put their finger on what that flavor is. There are reviews about it on YouTube but below is the best video about it.