Boeuf Bourguignon; grilling boar

We’re having mixed menus at the moment.

I’m slowly finishing winter cooking and we’re loving the spring vegetables.

It’s a bit like the weather – confused, or maybe eclectic is a better word.

We’re finishing up the last bits from the freezer and enjoying the best of the markets.

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Boeuf Bourguignon

Print Recipe

The cocoa is what gives Boeuf Bourguignon the ‘certain flavor’. It’s the trick many people don’t know.
This serves 4 or 2 for 2 meals.

• Author: Kate
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Marinate: 4 hours
• Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
• Total Time: 8 hours
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Beef
• Method: Braise
• Cuisine: French

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 24oz (750gr) beef for suitable for braising or stewing, cut into 2″ (5cm) cubes
• 1 bouquet garni
• 1 bottle red wine, robust, like a Burgundy
• 1 tbs red wine vinegar
• 1 carrot, cut in half
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 3oz (90gr)  bacon, chopped
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 8 – 10 shallots, peeled, cut in half if large
• 4oz (120gr) mushrooms, trimmed, cut in half or quarters if large
• 1 tbs cocoa
• 3 tbs cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in 3 tbs water

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Instructions

• Earlier in the day:
• Put beef into a small, deep bowl or sauce pan.
• Add the carrot, garlic, bouquet garni, red wine, and vinegar.
• Stir to combine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• 4 hours before serving:
• Take the meat out of the marinade and let drain, reserving all of the marinade.
• Heat oil in small stock pot or Dutch Oven.
• Add beef and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
• Pour the reserved marinade over the beef, along with the carrot, garlic and bouquet garni.
• Cover and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and let simmer for at least 3 hours.
• 45 minutes before you’re ready to eat:
• In nonstick skillet sauté bacon until crisp.
• Remove and set aside.
• Add mushrooms, shallots to skillet and sauté over medium heat until nicely browned, about 10 minutes.
• Add mushrooms, shallots, bacon to beef.
• Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Finishing:
• With slotted spoon take everything out of the sauce (don’t worry about the bacon) and put into a serving bowl.
• Discard bouquet garni and carrot.
• Keep warm in the oven while you finish the sauce.
• Bring sauce to a boil over medium – high heat.
• Whisk in cocoa and let sauce reduce for 5 minutes.
• Slowly whisk in cornstarch mixture to thicken.
• You probably won’t need all of it so stop periodically and let it cook to test consistency.  It clears and thickens as it cooks.
• Spoon some sauce over the beef, shallots and mushrooms.
• Serve, remaining sauce on the side.

Notes

If you are short of time  to marinate you can just let it sit, covered, at room temperature for an hour.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
• Calories: 774
• Sugar: 4.7 g
• Sodium: 279.5 mg
• Fat: 36.2 g
• Saturated Fat: 10.7 g
• Trans Fat: 0.8 g
• Carbohydrates: 21.4 g
• Fiber: 2.5 g
• Protein: 59.9 g
• Cholesterol: 198.5 mg

Keywords: beef burgundy, boeuf bourguignon. braised beef

We went out this past weekend.

We actually braved the world and went out to dinner.

So far we are all still alive and well…. These first forays into normal life can be a bit scary.

So can watching the hunters cooking the steaks that were the main course at this Repas de Chasse or Hunt Dinner.

They were wild boar steaks.

This would be the absolute opposite of slowly braising beef in my kitchen.

There was a huge bonfire blazing on the firepit at the back when we arrived.

They moved the hot coals over to the cooking grills to cook the boar.

It was a fascinating dance, as they moved the coals and the steaks – flipping the trays holding the steaks periodically.

The steaks were done perfectly – still pink in the middle.

They obviously had experience doing this. We were impressed.

More on the dinner next post.