Eric Ripert is the chef of one of the best restaurants in NYC, Le Berardin. I had a tasting menu there years ago and it remains one of the best meals of my life! I saw him making this on the Today Show this week and decided to make it for Christmas Day dinner. You must marinate the meat and vegetables over night in 2 bottles of wine! Ina Garten also has a delicious recipe that is much simpler to make.
2# beef chuck, cut into 1″ pieces
1 cup celery, medium dice
1 cup carrot, medium dice
1 cup onion, medium dice
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
6 oz. mushrooms, washed and diced
2 bottles of red wine ( I used Pinot Noir)
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
1 T. black peppercorns
6 T. canola oil
1 slice smoked bacon, chopped (optional)
1 cup brandy or rum
2 cups chicken stock
fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Combine the beef, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, mushrooms and red wine in a large pot or bowl (I used a huge Le Creuset that I will be cooking it in tomorrow). Make a sachet with a large square of cheesecloth and put the bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme and parsley in it and tie it closed with kitchen twine. Add the sachet to the beef and vegetables and marinate in the refrigerate overnight.
Strain the marinated beef and vegetables making sure to reserve the wine. Spread the beef and vegetables on a baking tray, separating the beef from the veg. Generously season the beef with salt and pepper.
Pour the reserved wine into a saucepan and bring to a boil, skimming the foam off the top as it comes up to a boil. Remove from heat.
Heat canola oil in a heavy bottomed stock pot, sear the beef-working in batches, not to crowd the pot, over medium high heat until nicely browned on all sides
Remove beef from pan and discard all but 1 T of the oil. Render the bacon until crisp and add celery, carrot, onion, garlic and mushrooms. Cook until lightly caramelized, about 5-7 minutes.
Deglaze the pan with rum or brandy and the browned beef, red wine, chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours until the beef becomes tender. At this point you can thicken the broth with a little beurre manie or flour, continue cooking another 1/2 hour until thick and very tender.
Serve with Herbed Carrots
6 medium carrots
4 T. butter
1/4 cup chopped parsley
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Peel and slice carrots thinly. Place carrots in a saute pan,add water to barely cover, add the butter and lightly season with salt and pepper. Simmer until tender about 6-8 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with beef bourguignon.
Serves 8