Beef* - 800 grams
(cut into about 1.5 inch cubes, taking off any big fatty parts)
Lardons* - 150 grams
Onions* - 5
(average/large yellow onions, cut into 6 parts)
Carrots - 5
(peeled and cut into 1 inch parts)
Mushrooms* - 200 grams
1 Bouquet garni*
1 garlic clove, slightly crushed
1 bottle of decent red wine
(don’t waste your money on anything fancy)
1 Beef bouillon cube (optional)
Chopped parsley
100 gr of butter
Tbsp of cooking oil
3 rounded Tbsp flour
Salt and pepper
* Beef - When the butcher trims the cuts of beef that have been ordered, or the meat for his display, he reserves all the left over pieces, which he sells as Boeuf Bourguignon.
Therefore, there is no special piece of meat, but you can ask for collier, la pointe de culotte, etc. cut in 1 1/2 inch cubes.
* Onions - You can replace the yellow onions with small pearl or cippolini onions, to make the dish look a little nicer but they are annoying to peel. And you should take them out of the pot for part of the cooking so they don’t fall apart.
* Lardons - 1/4 inch thick slices of bacon, cut into small strips, crosswise.
You can find the uncut bacon, salted or smoked, at the butcher shop and ask them to cut it into 1/4 inch strips. You will then cut these crosswise into little 1/4 inch strips.
*Mushrooms - cut into small parts depending on their size, small button mushrooms can be left whole.
* Bouquet garni - is a bundle of herbs tied together with string and mainly used to prepare soup, stock, and various stews. The bouquet is cooked with the other ingredients, but is removed prior to consumption.
I often cheat with a vegetable bouillon cube, of which we get good quality organic ones in the super market.
The key to a delicious Boeuf Bourguignon is the infusion af all the ingredients.
For the best results:
Make it a day (or two!) before, cook at a low simmer for 2-3 hours, let cool and re-simmer later on for 1-2 hours.
Add more wine/water if necessary to have a nice amount of sauce but not too liquid.
