Sunday Beef Bourguignon with Bacon, Mushrooms and Baby Onions

⏱ 210 min · Serves 6

A properly unhurried French braise: beef shin turned silky in red wine, with smoky bacon, glossy baby onions and buttery mushrooms folded in at the end. Serve with mash or crusty bread and let the sauce do the talking.

Per serving: 720 kcal · 52.0g protein · 20.0g carbs · 40.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1.2kg beef shin or chuck, cut into 5cm chunks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 150g smoked streaky bacon or pancetta, cut into lardons
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, cut into thick rounds
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 750ml bottle of fruity red wine (Pinot Noir or Cotes du Rhone)
• 400ml beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 250g baby/pearl onions, peeled (frozen is fine)
• 300g chestnut mushrooms, halved
• 40g butter
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160C fan / 180C conventional. Pat the beef very dry, season generously, then toss in the flour to coat lightly.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large casserole over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, 3-4 minutes per side, until deeply crusted. Don't crowd the pan. Set aside on a plate.
3. Add the bacon to the same pot and fry for 4-5 minutes until golden. Add the chopped onion and carrots, lower the heat and cook 8 minutes until softened.
4. Stir in the garlic and tomato puree, cook 1 minute, then pour in the wine. Scrape the base well and let it bubble hard for 5 minutes to burn off the raw alcohol.
5. Return the beef and any juices, add the stock, bay and thyme. The beef should be just covered; top up with a splash of water if needed. Bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Lid on, transfer to the oven for 2 hours 30 minutes, until the beef collapses under a spoon. Check once halfway and add a little stock if it looks dry.
7. Meanwhile, melt half the butter in a frying pan with the sugar. Add the baby onions and a splash of water, cover and cook 10 minutes, then uncover and let them caramelise. Set aside.
8. Add the rest of the butter to the pan, turn the heat up and fry the mushrooms in one layer until browned, 5-6 minutes. Season.
9. Stir the onions and mushrooms into the finished stew. If the sauce is thin, lift out the meat and simmer the sauce on the hob for 10 minutes to reduce, then return the beef.
10. Taste and season well, scatter with parsley and rest 10 minutes before serving with mashed potato or buttered noodles.