Beef bourguignon
As we move into the festive season, this beef bourguignon recipe is a perfect dish for Christmas Eve and for New Year’s celebrations. You can do this dish in the slow cooker or in the oven, and it is a dish that cooks itself – leaving you free to spend time with family and friends. I used Old Hall Farm’s own Jersey/Angus cross beef in this recipe, as well as their nitrate-free streaky bacon, and the flavour was incredible. Rather than use the more traditional thyme in this dish, I used rosemary as I love the fragrant combination of this herb with beef, but use thyme if you prefer. I didn’t add any stock to this dish as it was flavoursome enough without, but if you feel your bourguignon needs it, then add some beef stock. Finally, serve this hearty bourguignon with mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts – it is winter, after all!
INGREDIENTS
1kg Old Hall Farm braising beef – I used chuck, trimmed
1 carrot, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs rosemary
750ml red wine
1 tbsp Yare Valley rapeseed oil
25g butter
100g Old Hall Farm streaky bacon, sliced
12 small round shallots, peeled
250g button mushrooms
50ml brandy
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Salt & pepper
Flat-leaf parsley to garnish
Cut the beef into bite-sized pieces and place into a large bowl with the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, bay, and rosemary. Pour over the wine and cover. Leave to marinate overnight or for at least four hours.
When the beef has marinated, drain and reserve the liquid. Remove the meat, set the liquid aside, and discard the remaining vegetables and herbs.
Pre-heat your oven to 160°C.
Put a large casserole dish over a medium-high heat on the hob and add the rapeseed oil and butter. Add the bacon and cook until caramelised. Remove from the pan into a bowl, then add the beef in batches to brown – again you want it caramelised. As each batch cooks, set aside into the bowl.
Add the shallots and mushrooms to the casserole dish and cook until golden, then add to the bowl with the beef. Finally, add the brandy to the casserole dish and deglaze the pan.
Return the beef, bacon, shallots and mushrooms to the casserole dish, along with any resting juices. Pour over the reserved wine and bring to the boil. Add the Dijon mustard and stir well. Season to taste, then cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for two hours or until tender.
Serve with mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts, and top with the flat-leaf parsley.
Recipe © The Delicate Diner for Old Hall Farm. For more recipes, click here.
