Beef Bourguignon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Cut the roast into pieces, about 2” in size. Pat the pieces dry and generously season all sides with 2 ½ teaspoons of kosher salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients.

3. In a cold Dutch oven, add the bacon and heat on the stovetop over medium heat. (This allows the bacon to slowly render it’s fat as the pot comes to temperature.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is golden brown and crispy, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan for cooking. Set the bacon aside to cool and reserve for later.

4. Add the pearl onions and mushrooms to the pan and cook. Stir occasionally until the pearl onions and mushrooms are golden brown but still tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the pearl onions and mushrooms and let cool, then cover and reserve for later.

5. Add the yellow onion, carrots, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and cook stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, thyme leaves, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant. Slowly add the bottle of wine, stirring to get any brown bits off the bottom of the Dutch oven.

6. In a small bowl, add the cornstarch and mix with 2 tablespoons of cold water to form a slurry. (This will prevent any clumps.) Add the cornstarch mixture to the Dutch oven and stir to combine. Place the beef back into the Dutch oven. Add the bay leaf, if using, then cover the pot with a lid.

7. Transfer the covered Dutch oven to a rack set to the center of the oven. Cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the beef is extremely tender and sauce has reduced and slightly thickened. Add the reserved bacon, pearl onions and mushrooms, and cover. Cook for 5 minutes, just to warm the bacon, onions and mushrooms.

8. Remove the Dutch oven and allow to cool slightly. Top with chopped fresh parsley and serve warm. Enjoy!