Beef Bourguignon

james405

Hey can anyone recommend a good beef bourguignon recipe? I have not had this dish in years and i like my stews Is bacon hugely important to the dish its not the healthiest combo

Honey-ec

Just use lean bacon. Problem solved.

Brian?

Honey-ec wrote: »

Just use lean bacon. Problem solved.

Ah but then you lose so of the flavour.

If you search BBC food, theres a great recipe on there by Anthony W Thompson. I've used it in the past, came out lovely.

Honey-ec

briankeating wrote: »

Ah but then you lose so of the flavour.

If you search BBC food, theres a great recipe on there by Anthony W Thompson. I've used it in the past, came out lovely.

Not as much as if you omitted it altogether, though! It was somewhat tongue in cheek, anyway.

Seriously, OP, if your diet is healthy enough otherwise and you're not planning to be eating it every day for weeks on end, I really wouldn't be worrying about a bit of bacon in the recipe.

Brian?

Honey-ec wrote: »

Not as much as if you omitted it altogether, though! It was somewhat tongue in cheek, anyway.

Seriously, OP, if your diet is healthy enough otherwise and you're not planning to be eating it every day for weeks on end, I really wouldn't be worrying about a bit of bacon in the recipe.

Agree completely. Apply the 90-10 rule. If you eat healthy 90% time, feck it sure a bit of bacon in your beef bouguinon is grand.

Plus the massive pile of spuds you eat with it is probably more of a worry .

Here is that recipe I used:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/beefbourguignon_5151

Darkginger

The bacon is essential - and it has to be smoked bacon, too. If I'm cooking for 4 (which I usually do for 2 of us, cos we have a freezer - woot!), then I can easily get away with only using 2 rashers of smoked bacon in there - so that works out as half a rasher per serving. Don't think it's that dangerous to your health

The dish just isn't the same without the slightly smoky taste the bacon adds. If you're not planning on eating it for 3 meals a day every day, I think you'd be safe enough.

Miss Fluff

Totally agree on using smoked bacon or smoked pancetta - it gives it an extra depth of flavour and you'll notice the difference if you don't include it.

I also normally put a spoon of horseradish when I serve mash with this dish - delish.

Mr Simpson

Maybe try Jamie Oliver's Recipe, I have his beef and ale stew in the oven at the moment and it smells delicious

stmol32

I haven't posted here in ages but as it happens I was getting beef in the butchers for a stew the other day and I ended up making the nicest stew I've ever made so I'll share if you don't mind.

The butcher said shin beef is great if you make a slow cooking stew so I gave it a go because I never make a stew for less than four hours anyway. (slow cooking in any stew is the way to go, to prove it... stew always tastes better the next day.)


1) I marinated the beef with mirepoix, a bottle of red wine, worcester sauce and herbs (mirepoix is me new favourite word, its chopped carrots onions and celery but you can use whatever veg you like)
I left it for twenty four hours.
Also Garlic, always always garlic.

2) I took the meat out and drained it in a collander over the container with the marinade (don't throw any of the liquid out)

3) I mixed flour and seasoning. I used pepper and aromat meat seasoning but you can use whatever you like or just flour.

4) I brought a little olive oil up on a medium heat and put the meat in. brown on both sides. you don't need to make sure it's all seared like steak because you're stewing it but try to get that nice browny charred surface on it. Don't mind about the floury mix that sticks at the bottom you will use that (experienced gravyteers know why).

5) throw in the marinade and scrape the bottom of the pot to get the aforementioned floury bits up.

6) add water or beef stock to cover the beef twice over (i.e. the beef and veg is halfway up to the level of the liquid)

7) bring to the boil and then cover and turn to the lowest heat.

8) Simmer for Four hours. IMPORTANT Leave it alone and just forget about it if it's on the lowest heat and there's about two litres of liquid it wont dry up.

The reason I took so long with this was out of laziness. I did a bit and then had sandwiches for dinner instead. If you have less time, like a rational person, then skip step 1. On step 8 simmer four two hours, however like all stews the longer the flavours have to mix together the nicer it is.

Meself and me kids still didn't eat this til the next day (Laziness again) and I planned on making some spuds but I couldn't be bothered so I thought I'd try dumplings for the first time.

They turned out great, which is practically unheard of for me on a first try recipe. If anyone managed to make it through the wall of text I've just put up and wants the dumplings recipe then give us a shout.

Thanks for reading.

Brian?

stmol32 wrote: »

Beef Bouguignon recipe

Sounds bang on.

Except for the use of Aromat. I'm generally anti MSG.

Edit: Did you put a bouquet garni in the marinade?

stmol32

I didn't use a bouquet garni but only because I didn't have any fresh herbs on hand to make one. I would definitely recommend it.

As it happens I just threw in a handful of Italian herbs that I had a big tub of.
As regards not using aromat, go for it, there are no solid rules. I would however add salt if you're not using aromat.