Beef Bourguignon

• Beef (shoulder/bug) — 800 g
• Bacon (Speck) — 120 g
• Carrot — 200 g
• Onion — 200 g
• Garlic — 2–3 cloves
• Mushrooms — 300 g
• Tomato paste — 20 g
• Red dry wine — 300 ml
• Broth — ~700–900 ml (to cover meat ~70–80%)
• Flour — 15 g
• Bay leaf — 1–2
• Thyme — ~1 tsp
• Rosemary — small pinch or 1 small sprig
• Vegetable oil — ~10–20 ml (if needed)
• Salt — to taste
• Black pepper — to taste

Steps

1. Cut beef into large cubes (~4–5 cm). Cut bacon into ~1 cm pieces. Slice carrot (5–7 mm). Cut onion into large pieces. Crush garlic.
2. In a pot: cook bacon on medium heat to render fat. Add onion and carrot, cook 5–10 min. Add garlic, then tomato paste, cook 1–2 min.
3. In parallel: sear beef in batches on high heat in a large pan until well browned. Remove.
4. In the same pan: add wine, boil 5–10 min on high heat, scrape the bottom, reduce by ~2×.
5. Transfer reduced wine into the pot.
6. Add beef to the pot, add flour, mix.
7. Add broth to cover meat ~70–80%. Add bay leaf, thyme, rosemary.
8. Cover and cook in oven at 160°C for 2.5–3 hours.
9. Fry mushrooms separately on high heat. Add 20–30 min before finish.
10. Adjust salt and pepper. Sauce should be thick.

Notes

- Sear meat properly, do not overcrowd - Deglazing with wine is critical for flavor - Control fat level from bacon - Liquid level depends on pot size