Boeuf Bourguignon

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Prep all ingredients before heating the pan: pat the beef very dry for better browning, cut the carrot, peel the pearl onions, halve any large mushrooms, chop the garlic, and season the beef with the salt and black pepper.

2. 2

   Set a heavy casserole or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the smoked bacon lardons and cook for 4-5 minutes until the fat renders and the bacon is lightly browned but not crisp. Lift out the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve, leaving the fat in the pot.

3. 3

   Add the beef tallow or duck fat if the pot looks dry. Brown the beef in 2 batches over high heat, giving each piece space so it sears rather than steams, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the browned beef to a plate with any juices.

4. 4

   Lower the heat to medium. Add the carrot and pearl onions to the pot and cook for 3 minutes, stirring to pick up the fond. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and smells sweet rather than raw.

5. 5

   Pour in the Burgundy red wine and scrape the base thoroughly to dissolve all the browned bits; this is where much of the stew's depth comes from. Add the beef stock, thyme, bay leaf, reserved bacon, and browned beef with any accumulated juices. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a lively simmer.

6. 6

   Cover partially and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. The liquid should bubble gently, not boil hard. After 30 minutes, add the mushrooms and continue simmering uncovered for 10 minutes, until the beef is tender enough to yield easily to a knife and the sauce has reduced slightly.

7. 7

   Mix the arrowroot powder with the cold water until smooth. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Stir the arrowroot slurry into the simmering stew and cook for 1-2 minutes, just until the sauce turns glossy and lightly coats a spoon; avoid prolonged boiling after thickening.

8. 8

   Take the pot off the heat and let the stew rest for 5 minutes so the sauce settles and the meat relaxes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then spoon into warm bowls and finish with chopped parsley.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •To keep this closer to a paleo-style approach, arrowroot is used instead of flour, and tomato paste is kept modest; if you avoid nightshades strictly, omit the tomato paste and reduce the wine a little longer.
• •Choose well-marbled chuck; in a 60-minute version, intramuscular fat helps the beef become tender faster than very lean stewing cuts.
• •Peeling pearl onions is easier if you blanch them for 30 seconds in boiling water, then cool briefly and squeeze them from their skins.
• •Serve on its own or with cauliflower mash for a more paleo-friendly accompaniment.

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