Beef Bourguignon
Serving Size: 4-6
Ingredients:
4lbs Chuck Roast
4 Strips of Bacon
18 Multi-Colored Carrots with Tops Attached
30 Pearl Onions Fresh or Frozen
1 Medium Carrot
1 Large Onion
1 Celery Stalk
1 Packet of Powdered Gelatin
6 Yellow Potatoes
8-10 Button Mushrooms or Mushrooms of Choice
1 Bottle of a Full-Bodied Red Wine (Burgundy, Pinot Noir, or Merlot)
¼ Cup of Heavy Cream
4 Sticks of Butter
2 Boxes of High Quality Beef Stock or 1 Can of Better Than Bouillon (Homemade Beef Stock is Preferred)
2g Sugar
Thyme
3 Bay Leaves
2 Parsley Stems
1 Leek Top
6 Garlic Cloves
5g or 1 Tablespoon of Flour or Cornstarch
5g or 1 Tablespoon of Tomato Paste
Knob of Chocolate or 1 Teaspoon of Cocoa Powder
1 Box of Chicken Stock or Better than Bouillon (Homemade is Preferred)
Butter
1 Teaspoon of Lemon Juice or Vinegar
Vegetable, Grapeseed, or any High Smoke-point Oil
Parsley for Garnish
Instructions:
Beef:
Cut the Chuck Roast into 2x2×2 inch pieces (Pay Attention to Where the Fat Lines are in the Roast. These Fat Lines Dictate Where the Roast will Naturally Separate. You Will Want to Make Sure that a Chunk Does not Have a Major Fat Line in the Middle of it)
Trim the Excess Fat and Silverskin from the Chuck Roast
Coat the Pieces in a High Heat Oil and Place on an Unlined Baking Sheet (It is Preferred to Use a Thick Baking Sheet as a Thin One will Bend and Warp Due to the High Heat of the Oven)
Position your Oven Rack to the Second to the Top Slot and Turn the Broiler to High (Using the Broiler is Preferred to Searing in a Pan or Dutch-Oven as it will create less Grease Splatter and Not Risk the Fond Burning in the Pan)
Place the Meat into the Oven and Allow it to Develop a Golden Crust on the Top-Side
Once this Crust is Formed, Pull the Meat out and Flip Each Piece to Develop a Crust on the Other Side
After Both Sides Develop a Good Crust, Pull the Baking Sheet Out of the Oven and add ½ Cup of Water to Deglaze the Fond
Set the Oven to 350F
Braising Liquid:
To Prepare the Braising Liquid, Start by Forming the Boquet Garni. Wrap 2-3 Sprigs of Thyme, 2 Parsley Stems, and 2 Bay Leaves within One Outside Layer of the Leek Top and Tie up with Butcher Twine
Next, Cut the Carrot into Quarters, the Celery into Thirds, and the Onion in Half (This Ratio of Onion to Celery to Carrot is known as a Mirepoix and is Roughly 2:1:1)
Bruise the Garlic Cloves with the Side of your Knife or the Palm of your Hand (This will Allow the Garlic to Release More Delicate Flavors, but it will not Break too Many Cells Within the Garlic and Cause it to be too Pungent.)
Combine the Boquet, the Mirepoix, the Tomato Paste, the. Gelatin, the Garlic, the Beef, a Couple Cracks of Black Pepper, a Teaspoon of Salt, and the Bottle of Wine into the Dutch Oven or Pot
Scrape the Fond from the Bottom of the Baking Sheet and Pour into the Dutch Oven or Pot
Add in Beef Stock until the Meat is Barely Covered
Place the Dutch Oven or Pot on the Stove and Bring it Up to a Boil
Once at a Boil, Cut the Heat, Put the Lid On, and Place in the Oven
Check on the Meat After 1 Hour
Using Two Forks, Attempt to Pull Apart a Chunk (If the Meat is still very Tough and Springs Back Continue to Cook for another 30 minutes and check again. If the Meat Starts to Separate with Just a Little Bit of Resistance, then the Meat is Ready)
Pearl Onions:
If Using Fresh Pearl Onions, Bring a Medium Sized Pot of Water to a Boil and Prepare a Bowl of Ice Water (If using Frozen, Simply Defrost and Drain the Excess Water)
Add in the Onions, Boil for 2 Minutes, and then Place into the Ice Water
Once they are Cool Enough to Handle, Peel the Outer Skin and If Necessary Pluck any Roots Still Attached
Place a Medium to Large Pan on Medium Heat and Add in a Drizzle of Olive Oil and a Tablespoon of Butter
Once the Butter starts to Foam, Add in the Onions along with a Strong Pinch of Sugar and Salt
Sauté Until the Onions Develop a Deep Golden Brown Crust
Deglaze with ½ Cup of Chicken Stock and Add a Couple Cracks of Black Pepper
Reduce the Stock Until it Coats the Back of a Spoon and Leaves a Defined Streak When Scraped with your Finger (This Occurs When Reduced About Halfway and is Referred to as a Nappe Consistency)
Cut the Heat and Add in 2 Tablespoons of Cold Butter and 1 Teaspoon of Lemon Juice or Vinegar
Swirl the Pan to Emulsify the Butter and the Stock
Salt to Taste
Bacon:
Slice the Bacon into Short ½ inch Strips
Place the Strips into a Cold Pan and Turn the Heat up to Medium
Fry until Crispy and then Drain on a Paper Towel
Mushrooms:
Quarter the Mushrooms and Add into a Cold Pan with ¼ Cup of Water and a Strong Pinch of Salt
Cook Over Medium Heat Until The Water has Evaporated from the Pan
Once the Water is Evaporated, Add in a Strong Drizzle of Olive Oil and Turn the Heat up to High
Fry Mushrooms until Golden Brown
Salt to Taste
Carrots:
Cut the Tops off of the Carrots but Leave ½ inch of the Green Stalk (This is for Aesthetics, so you can Cut the Tops off Completely if you Would Like)
Peel the Carrots and Clean the Dirt Where the Stalk Meets the Carrot (You Can Use your Fingernail or a Paring Knife to Scrape Away the Dirt)
Place a Medium to Large Pan with a Drizzle of Olive Oil and a Tablespoon of Butter Over Medium Heat Until the Butter Foams
Add in the Carrots with a Strong Pinch of Salt and Sauté Until a Light Golden Crust Forms
Deglaze with ¼ Cup of Water and Cover with a Lid to Steam
Turn Heat Down to Medium Low and Allow the Carrots to Cook Until a Toothpick or Fork Inserts with Slight Resistance
Salt to Taste
Pomme Puree: (Optional)
Add the Potatoes to a Large Pot of Heavily Salted Water and Bring to a boil
Once a Toothpick or Fork Inserts with no Resistance, Remove the Potatoes and Drain the Pot
After the Potatoes have Cooled Enough to Handle, Peel the Potatoes and Use a Ricer or Fork to Mash the Potatoes
Add the Potatoes Back into the Pot Along with the Cream and Mix with a Rubber Spatula to Combine
Turn Heat to Low and Add in a Couple Tablespoons of Cold Butter
Continue to Fold in the Butter until Melted and Combined, and then Add in a Couple more Tablespoons of Butter
Repeat until 2 Sticks Butter have Been Incorporated
At this Point, No Butter Should be Leaking Out and the Potatoes Should be Glossy, Smooth, and Take On a Loose Putty-like Consistency
Salt to Taste
Sauce:
Once the Meat is Finished Cooking, Take out the Meat and Set Aside
Remove the Boquet and Mirepoix
Strain the Sauce into a Medium Pot
Allow the Pot to Cool to Room Temperature and then Place into the Fridge
Once the Pot Cools Enough in the Fridge to Form an Orange Fat Cap on Top, Carefully Remove this Fat Layer and Discard
Place the Pot over Medium Heat and Bring to a Simmer
Add in 2 Sprigs of Thyme, a Bay Leaf, and a Parsley Stem
Reduce Heat to Low and Simmer
Taste the Sauce Every 10-15 Minutes and Stop Reducing when the Saltiness is to your Preference
Take off the Heat and Make a Slurry of Cornstarch or Flour and a Tablespoon of water
Add in the Slurry and Return to the Heat to Allow the Starches to Activate and Thicken the Sauce a bit Further (Approximately 2 Minutes)
Once Thickened, Cut the Heat and Add in the Chocolate Along with 4 Tablespoons of Butter
Whisk the Sauce Continually Until the Butter and Chocolate is Emulsified
Add in the Beef and Allow it to Absorb the Sauce and Become Glossy
Plating:
Add a Medium Scoop (Approximately ½ Cup) of Pomme Puree to the Middle of the Plate
While Turning the Plate, Use the Back of a Spoon to Push the Puree to the Outside of the Plate Forming a Well in the Center
Next, Add Three Pieces of the Beef to the Center of the Well and Spoon Enough Sauce over the Beef to Coat and Fill in the Well
Place 3 Carrots, 5-7 Onions, and 5-7 Mushrooms Inside the Well and Some Resting on or on top of the Beef
Garnish with Chopped Parsley and the Bacon
Serve Immediately
