Beef burgundy (beef bourguignon)

Marinating:

1. Marinating is a point of discussion in most recipes for this dish. If you don't have enough time, you can skip this step, or reduce the marinating time to 1 hour. Personally, I marinate the beef along with the carrots and onions overnight.
2. Cut the beef into large cubes (4-5 cm/2 inch).
3. Peel the yellow onion and chop into large cubes.
4. Peel the carrots and chop into large pieces.
5. Transfer the meat and vegetables to a bowl, pour in the wine and add 2 bay leaves and a sprig of fresh thyme and parsley.
6. Place in the refrigerator for about 12 hours (maximum 24 hours).

Preparation:

1. After marinating, separate the meat and vegetables. Remember to save the wine for further cooking.
2. Pat the meat dry with a paper towel.
3. Cut the bacon into cubes or strips.
4. Prepare a large pot with a thick bottom where you will cook the entire dish.
5. Starting with a cold pot, fry the bacon until golden brown and transfer to a separate bowl.
6. Sprinkle the beef thoroughly with salt and pepper, then fry the beef on each side in the rendered bacon fat. Add an additional tablespoon of oil if necessary. The beef should not cook through, we only care about browning and caramelization.
7. Transfer the browned beef to a bowl with the bacon.
8. Clean and peel the pearl onions, mushrooms and garlic (If you don't have pearl onions, use regular yellow onions chopped into large cubes).
9. Cut the mushrooms into quarters and chop the garlic.
10. Add a pinch of sugar and saute the onions for 10-15 minutes. If the bacon was not fatty enough, add a tablespoon of oil or butter.
11. Then add mushrooms and fry another 5 minutes on medium heat.
12. Finally, add garlic, tomato puree and saute the whole thing for another minute or so.
13. Add meat, bacon and vegetables from the marinade to the pot. Pour wine over the whole thing.
14. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook for about 5 minutes. At this stage you want most of the alcohol from the wine to evaporate.
15. When the wine is gently reduced, pour in the broth, add 2 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 2 teaspoons of dried), 2 sprigs of parsley and 2 tablespoons of flour dissolved in cold water.
16. Mix everything together.

Stewing:

1. You can cook the stew over low heat, or put it in an oven preheated to 160‎°C (320°F).
2. The stew needs 2.5 to 3.5 hours of cooking. Stir from time to time to make sure nothing burns and the sauce is not reducing too fast.
3. At the end, check the meat. It should be tender and fall apart under pressure. If necessary, continue cooking until it is soft.
4. Once cooked, remove the herbs, season with salt and pepper and check the thickness of the stew. If it is too watery, add another tablespoon or two of flour dissolved in cold water and boil again.
5. Serve the stew accompanied by baked potatoes or mashed potatoes. You can also serve it with fettuccine pasta.
6. For appearance and flavor, add a little chopped parsley and thyme to each serving.
7. One of the best features of this dish besides the taste is that it tastes even better the next day!

Recipe prepared in cooperation with the producer and store Zaczyk.