Tonight's dinner: stew

[George K]

Well it's stew if it's here in the USA.

If it's in France, it's "Beef Bourguignon ."

Beef bourguignon (julia child recipe)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces (170g) bacon, roughly chopped
3 pounds (1 1/2 kg) beef brisket, trimmed of fat (chuck steak or stewing beef) cut into 2-inch chunks
1 large carrot sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 large white onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced (divided)
1 pinch coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons flour
12 small pearl onions (optional)
3 cups red wine like Merlot, Pinot Noir, or a Chianti -- for a milder sauce, use only 2 cups of wine
2-3 cups beef stock (if using 2 cups of wine, use 3 cups beef stock)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 beef bullion cube, crushed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped (divided)
2 bay leaves
1 pound fresh small white or brown mushrooms, quartered
2 tablespoons butter

Instructions:

1. Set Instant Pot or Cooker to SEAR function (or use a pan on the stove over medium heat of you wish). Sauté the bacon in 1 tablespoon of oil until crisp and browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

2. Pat dry beef with paper towel; sear in batches until browned on all sides in the oil/bacon fat.

3. Return bacon to the pot. Season with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper. Sprinkle with flour, toss well and cook on SEAR for a further 4-5 minutes to brown.

4. Add in the onions, pearl onions, carrots, wine, 2 cups of stock, tomato paste, 4 cloves minced garlic, bullion and herbs. Stir well, cover and lock the lid into place. Press Keep Warm/Cancel to stop the Sauté function, then set to MANUAL mode. Choose HIGH PRESSURE for 30 minutes cook time.

5. After cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 8-10 minutes. Open the valve and allow and remaining steam to escape (for Instant Pot, turn the valve from sealing to venting to release the pressure).

6. While steam is releasing, prepare your buttered mushrooms (OPTIONAL -- or add them straight in without cooking in butter if desired): Heat the butter in a medium-sized skillet/pan over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), then add in the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, while shaking the pan occasionally to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Set aside.

7. Change the Instant Pot or cooker setting back to the SEAR setting (or SAUTE) stir well and allow the sauce to thicken uncovered, for a further 5-10 minutes.

8. Add the buttered mushrooms, garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice or noodles.
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Thoughts:

1. I've seen other similar recipes that call for using "baby potatoes" in the mix. I'd try that next time.
2. The mix didn't thicken - needed a cornstarch slurry to get it to not be watery
3. Ultimate test: Mrs. George said, "Make it again."

Bacon...

Seared browned chuck roast...

With mashed potatoes on the side....

[Jolly]

Mighty good looking stew!

[George K]

Sorry about the last blurry photo.

It was very flavorful.

(because bacon and red wine)

I've seen another recipe that calls for baby potatoes into the mix. Perhaps next time.

[Mik]

Looks good. Did the stew have good red wine taste?

I triued a new way to cook salmon tionight in a pan. You heat the pan on medium high with a little oil, put the filet in skin side up and turn the heat down to medium for 5-6 minuted, then flip it over onto the skin, turn the heat off and cover the pan, letting the hear of the pan finish cooking it. Turned out good with lemon basil ricotta ravioli and a green salad.

[brenda]

George, we love that kind of dish. I've made a version that sounds a lot like yours. We had about three dinners from the batch, and it was better every night.

[jon-nyc]

That looks awesome.

[Horace]

Looks great.

[Mik]

Hot, brown and plentiful. Yum. I have a bunch of filet trim that would do real well for that.