Beef Bourguinon - simplified

Beef Bourguinon Recipe

600g to 800g Beef cubes seasoned with salt and black pepper – Stewing kind or beef cheeks (I like ox tail sometimes)

1 onion – cubed

1 carrot – cubed

1 celery stick - cubed

2 cloves of garlic

2 rashes of bacon – cut into small pieces

A little butter for frying

Little olive oil

A little flour for coating beef cubes

Herbs that you like (I use dried parsley or oregano)

Bouquet garni (Tied together thyme(or parsley), green parts of leek, bay leaf)

1 bottle of cab sav or any full bodied red wine)

Salt and pepper

Optional – mushrooms

Method

1.       Lightly coat beef cubes with flour

2.       Fry in olive oil or neutral coated beef cubes in 1 layer till all sides are brown (idea is to keep juices in when you stew or slow cook)

3.       Put beef cubes aside

4.       In the same pot, add a little butter and fry bacon

5.       Take bacon out and put together with beef

6.       Fry onion then carrots and celery and garlic together

7.       When onions are clear in colour, add the beef and bacon

8.       Pour the whole bottle of wine in. Add bouquet garni and any herbs you like

9.       Optional: Add mushrooms

10.   Slow cook in oven for 4 hours or in slow cooker

.: Left Over Idea :.
Use up left overs by putting them in puff pastries to make little pillows of beef bourguinon puffs.
First add some small cubes of potato and it heat up. Potatos are starchy and will thicken up the stew. Wait for the stew to cool down before using them with puff pastry sheet from the store.