With or without the wine, this rich stew is the toast of the wintertime dinner table.
Photo by Gwénaël Le Vot
SERVES 6–8
4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 pounds chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
2 onions, peeled and chopped
4 whole carrots, peeled, halved, and sliced into ¼-inch slices
1½ pounds mini round potatoes, or 3 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups unsalted beef stock
2 cups red wine, preferably pinot noir, optional
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Chopped parsley, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy, 8–10 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add butter to pot and melt.
Season beef with salt, pepper and paprika. In same pot, sear the beef chunks until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Depending on size of pot, you may need to work in batches. Do not crowd the pot as beef will not brown.
When all beef chunks are seared, add bacon back to the pot, along with onions, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, garlic, tomato paste and flour. Stir well and scrape up any pieces that may be sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add stock and wine and stir again to combine. Add bay leaves and thyme on top. Cover and bake in preheated oven for 1½ hours or until beef is tender. Remove bay leaves and thyme and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
Serve in individual soup bowls, garnished with parsley and accompanied by crusty bread.
Chef’s Tip
Using wine in cooking. When a recipe calls for wine and that is not an option for your family, stock is always an excellent substitute. As a rule of thumb, use beef stock as a substitute for red wine and chicken or vegetable stock as a substitute for white wine. Additionally, in making soups and stews, always try to use stocks instead of water for a heartier flavor.
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