THE ULTIMATE BEEF BOURGUIGNON
SERVES 6 PREP 1 hr plus overnight chilling COOK 4 hrs MORE EFFORT
What: A heavyweight French classic, this red wine stew is more than the sum of its parts, brought together in a rich bread-mopping velvety sauce. Preparation of beef bourguignon can’t be rushed but should be revelled in. This is the ultimate make-ahead braise to serve to friends over Christmas.
How: We’ve stayed true to the traditional recipe, but paid extra attention to detail. We’ve given the whole thing a massive flavour boost with a clever way of marinating the meat, and made it smarter by using bigger pieces of beef.
REDUCE TO REFINE
By boiling down the sauce, you get to specify the consistency and flavour, leaving nothing to chance. Scooping off any froth that forms gives you a finer sauce.
BETTER WITH TIME
You can make this up to three days ahead, then chill and reheat. The longer you leave it, the more fullbodied the flavour. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months.
FLOUR POWER
Using flour to thicken sauces has got a bit of a bad rep. Too much does make for gloopy sauces, but if you use just enough and cook it out properly, flour adds a thickened, velvety sheen.
CARROTS
Often discarded during cooking, we think stewed carrots are a thing of beauty, so we’ve kept them in the mix.
STAR ANISE
We’ve borrowed from Chinese braising and added star anise, which has properties that help to intensify the meatiness of the dish.
SWEET GARLIC
Slow-cooking garlic makes it mild and soft. When you strain the sauce, push hard on the braised garlic to release and purée the whole cloves.
THE WINE
We’ve made this all wine and no stock, as the braise makes its own stock while cooking. Classic Burgundy wines are expensive and too good to cook with, so use a cheaper wine made using pinot noir – the grape used in Burgundies. (We also made a version with rioja that packed loads of flavour, but don't tell the French).
BEEF ENCOUNTERS
Ox or beef cheek (same thing, different name) is ideal, as it holds its shape when braised and makes the sauce gelatinous. Shin, short rib, chuck or shoulder all also work well.
MAKE IT CHUNKY
To ensure the beef holds its integrity, cut it into 5cm chunks (you want two pieces per portion). Don't buy pre-cut stewing beef – it will disintegrate into the sauce.
STEEPING
By boiling and flaming the wine, you burn off the raw alcohol flavour. By steeping the beef in the hot wine, the wine flavour penetrates into the meat, which makes for a very winey stew.
FINISHING TOUCH
The final flourish of bacon, baby onions and mushrooms is what turns a stew into bourguignon. We’ve stayed true to the classic.