The Mindful Epicurean

It is nearing Christmas time and we have been experiencing some of the coldest temperatures we have seen in years. We even had our first snowfall last week when Mike and I went to see White Christmas!

The wind chill has been in the single digits and weather like this definitely calls for staying indoors and eating a bowl of warm, hearty stew. 

Beef  bourguignon is a slow cooked beef stew which originated in the Burgandy region of France. Julia Child made it famous in the 1960s in her iconic book “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and there have been many iterations of it since. 

This recipe is my spin on the comforting classic. It becomes a little bit healthier by eliminating all purpose flour and replacing it with cornstarch and almond flour. I also am not a big fan of pearl onions so I use shallots instead. 

I use beef chuck roast, but you could use brisket, short rib or rump roast. 

I start by placing my diced beef chuck roast in a large zip block bag with almond flour, salt and pepper, shaking it well until all pieces are lightly coated. 

I then use a large stock pot to sear the meat in 2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter and 2 Tablespoons of olive oil until all sides are browned. 

I remove and place on a plate lined with napkins reserving the remaining liquid from the pan in a bowl to use later. 

I wipe down my stock pot and then sauté the garlic, onions and shallots in 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and the additional 2 Tablespoons of butter. 

Once translucent, I add the carrots and cremini mushrooms, lightly adding salt and pepper throughout this process. 

Once the vegetables have cooked down I add the meat, tomato paste, and red wine. I let the red wine cook down at a simmer for about 10 minutes before adding the beef stock and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. 

I then bring to a simmer and create my cornstarch slurry. This is a combination of my reserved liquid from the seared beef and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch. I whisk until smooth and then pour into my pot. 

Now I add the fresh thyme. I finely diced 1 teaspoon and then added several stems to be removed at the end of the cooking. 

Now it is time to patiently wait and prepare for some amazing aromas to fill the house. I bring the stew to a simmer, cover and cook for about an hour and a half, stirring every 15 minutes or so. 

I did determine I wanted my stew to have a thicker broth so I created an additional slurry by taking a spoonful of the broth and adding another 2 teaspoons of cornstarch, whisking again before pouring into the broth. 

You can adjust this technique as desired to obtain the consistency you prefer. 

Another trick to note is if you taste the stew and it is too acidic for you, just whisk in a spoonful of sour cream. That will help balance the acidity. Depending on the red wine you use, it may impact the flavor profile since some reds like Pinot Noir and Sangiovese tend to be more acidic. Some Cabernets can also be more acidic, especially when grown in colder regions.

At about the 2 hour mark I remove the lid and simmer for an additional 30-45 minutes until the meat is completely fork tender. You’ll know when it’s ready because a spoon will cut right through the meat. 

I serve mine with crusty, buttered sour dough bread. You could always add a simple side salad, but honestly this dish stands very well on its own. It also keeps well in the refrigerator for a welcomed lunch tomorrow!