Paul Bocuse’s Boeuf Bourguignon

How to master the best Burgundy Beef

To get the best Boeuf Bourguignon, you need to serve something very tasty, with balanced tastes between the wine, the meat and the vegetables. The balance is hard to master, but if you follow the recipe, you will get it. You will need of course a premium quality meat : French chefs recommend "gîte à la noix, macreuse, ou paleron" : Thick Flank, Shoulder. Do not get stingy on the price of the meat !

Also, you need to serve a meat that is "falling off the bones" (even if there is no bone !) : What I mean is that the meat must be so tender that you don't need a knife to cut it : it almost melts in our mouth. To get this, you will need to cook for a long time, on a very low heat. You will also need to be patient, and to not eat the dish after cooking, Instead, you will need to refrigerate a few hours, then cook again, then refrigerate, then finally cook : that way, the tastes develop, and the meat becomes even more tender : While it seats in the fridge, the wine sauce continues to "break" the tissues of the meat.

1. As I told you earlier, I use Shallots (6), whereas Bocuse uses 12 pearl onions

2. Peel and dice the Shallots (6)

3.  Melt the Butter (¼ Cup or 60 g) in a cast-iron pot (Dutch Oven)

4. Cook the Shallots (6) over moderate hear

5. Add the Bacon (⅔ Cup or 125 g) and cook 3 minutes

6. Salt and pepper the Beef

7.  add the meat, and brown over high heat on all sides

8. Peel the Carrots (4) and cut them into sticks of 2" (or 5 cm)

9. Wash the Celery Stalks (2), remove the outer fibers

10. Add to the cast-iron pot (Dutch Oven)

11. In a spice bag, insert the Sprig Thyme (1), the Laurel (Bay) leaf (1), the Parsley Sprigs (4), the Peppercorns (10), and seal the bag

12. Add to the cast-iron pot (Dutch Oven)

13. Add the Salt (1 pinch)

14. Reduce the heat so that everything simmers gently

15.  Simmer for about 30 minutes

16. Lift the Beef (2 ¼ lbs or 1 kg) out of the pot, and set aside

17. Sift Flour (1 tablespoon) in the cast-iron pot (Dutch Oven)

18. Stir in the Tomato Paste (1 tablespoon)

19. Keep stirring

20. Add the Red Wine (4 ¼ Cups or 1 Liter) and the Water (2 ¼ Cups or ½ Liter) little by little

21.  For your information... some chefs like Thomas Keller recommend to boil the wine in a saucepan before adding it to the pot (to make it less tanic)

22. Pour in the Cognac or Brandy (¼ Cup or 60 g)

23. Crush the Garlic Cloves (4) and add

24. Add in the Orange Peel (1)

25. Cook until its starts boiling

26. Return the meat to the pot

27.  Simmer, on low heat, for 2 hours 30 minutes

28.  Do not cook on high heat !!! You need to lower the heat and let it cook a long time...

29. If you see too many big "bubbles", it means you need to lower the heat

Cooling down

30. After the long cooking, remove the pot from the stove and let it cool at room temperature for 2 hours

31.  Place in the fridge overnight

The next day

32. The next day, you may scoop out the fat that is now solid and on top of the pot. You can discard all this solidified fat

33.  Cook on low heat for 1 hour

34. Add Salt and Pepper if necessary

35. You may cook the Button Mushrooms (some Button Mushrooms) (cut in half) in a bit of butter

36. Serve the meat with juice and the Button Mushrooms (some Button Mushrooms)