Beef Burgundy: A Masterpiece Made Easy with VitaClay!

Recipe Courtesy of “Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker - Recipes for Entertaining” by Beth Hensperger / Image Courtesy of Mike

A well-made beef burgundy, the venerable braisedsaute de boeuf a la bourguignoonne, is a treasure; the meat melts in your mouth and the wonderful wine does its magic both as a flavor agent and as a tenderizer.

It is a bistro standard and one of the most famous slow-cooked beef stews in the culinary world. We love the stew meat cut from the bottom round or even oxtails, as you wish.

Please, no generic “burgundy” wines here; choose something nice (the wine makes a big difference) and let the flavor of this wonderful dish entertain your senses.

In this version, the beef is not browned first, but if you’d prefer it that way, please go ahead. It also requires marinating overnight, so plan accordingly. Serve this straight out of the crock with steamed potatoes and baby carrots.

Ingredients:

4 pound stewing beef, trimmed of any excess fat and cut into 2-inch chunks

1 ¼ cups red Burgundy

¼ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 strips bacon, diced

1 large onion, diced

2 shallots, minced

1 pound white mushrooms, cut in half or quartered

2 cloves garlic, crushed

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon crushed dried thyme

2 cups beef broth

¼ cup Cognac (optional)

Bouquet of 4 sprigs fresh parsley, stems tied with kitchen twine

Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Marinate the beef in the wine, oil, and pepper overnight in refrigerator (this can be done in your VitaClay insert if you like).
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until soft, but not browned. Add the onion and shallots to the bacon and cook, stirring, until softened; transfer to your VitaClay slow cooker(VM7800, or VM7900, or VF7700 model).
3. Add the marinated beef (minus the liquid) and mushrooms to your VitaClay.
4. Sprinkle with flour, turning to coat the meat.
5. Add the marinade, tomato paste, thyme, broth, and Cognac, if using, to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then pour into your VitaClay pot. Nestle the parsley bouquet in the stew. Cover and set on “SOUP” (slow) to cook 1.5-2 hours.
6. Skim the fat from the surface, if desired, and discard the parsley. Season with salt and serve immediately.