Boeuf Bourguignon

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb thick-cut bacon, cut into lardons
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2-3 lbs boneless chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 large yellow onion, about 12 oz diced into large cubes
• 4 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 1/2 lb carrots, peeled, cut one inch thick coins
• 1/2 cup Cognac
• 1 750 mL bottle Pinot Noir
• 2 cups beef or chicken stock
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 bunch fresh thyme sprigs
• 1/2 bunch fresh Italian parsley
• Kosher salt & pepper to taste
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter
• 5 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 10 oz bag yellow or white pearl onions, pealed and cooked according to preference
• 3 bunches baby carrots, washed, trimmed, cooked according to preference (suggest oven-roasting)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Heat a 6-quart capacity heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium high heat.
2. Pat beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously with Kosher salt.
3. When pot is hot, add olive oil and bacon lardons. Lower the heat to medium and cook the bacon until it is crisp. Remove with slotted spoon, leaving rendered bacon fat in the pot. Set bacon aside and reserve.
4. Raise heat to medium-high and working in batched to avoid overcrowding, brown the beef cubes on all sides. Place the browned cubes in a bowl as you finish browning each batch.
5. Once all the cubes are browned, add cubed onions, carrots and celery to the pot, season with salt and pepper to taste and sauté until the vegetables are are browned, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent them from burning.
6. lower the heat and carefully pour in the Cognac. Ignite with a match or barbecue lighter and let the flames die down (stand back as you do this and make sure your exhaust hood is on for safety purposes).
7. Once the flames extinguish, add the Pinot Noir, increase the heat, and let the wine reduce by half. Add beef stock, tomato paste, and browed beef cubes and any accumulated juices and stir to incorporate the tomato paste. Add sat and pepper to taste.
8. Bring liquid to a simmer, then add thyme and parsley sprigs. Cover the pot and place in oven to braise (if your pot does not have an oven proof life, cover with foil instead). Start checking for tenderness at the 1 hour & 30 minute mark; continue braising until the beef is at your personal preference for tenderness.
9. Once the beef is to your liking, remove the pot from the oven. Using a slotted spoon, remove beef cubes and reserve. Strain braising liquid through a sieve into another bowl. Discard solids.
10. Using the same cooking pot melt the butter over low heat. Whisk in flour and cook for a few minutes to remove the raw taste of the flour. Slowly whisk in the reserved braising liquid, whisking constantly to prevent lumping.
11. Once all liquid has been added, raise the heat and add beef, reserved bacon, and the cooked pearl onions. Let the mixture simmer gently to meld the flavors, about another 5-10 minutes.