A traditional hearty, classic French dish. It’s an easy to make, just takes time to braise.
INGREDIENTS/
- 3 garlic cloves
- 12-15 shallots
- 600g beef chuck cut into cubes
- 2 carrots
- 1 red onion
- 1 bottle of wine
- 5 bay leaves
- 4tbs flour
- 80ml olive oil
- 3tbs butter
- 50g tomato paste
- 250ml beef stock
- 100g smoked bacon (can be sliced from a pack, or cut from the butchers)
- 10 medium brown button mushrooms
Dice the garlic, add the bay leaves and red wine into an airtight container. Slice the beef chuck into large cubes, 1″x1″ and cover them inside the marinate. Place it into the fridge and let it sit for 2-3 days. Twice a day give it a mix so the meat on top gets moved to the bottom, and return to the fridge.
Slice the fatty pork belly and render the fat out in a pan with medium heat and olive oil. This should take 10-15 minutes until the pan is filled with oil and the bacon is crispy brown.
Remove the beef from the container and pat dry with paper towels. With the pan filled with bacon oil, turn the heat to high until it begins to smoke and sear the sides of the beef cubes. Once done place on a plate to collect the drippings.
Cut the beef into large 1.5″ cubes. Place them in an air tight container covered with red wine, crushed garlic cloves, bay leaves and pepper. Let them marinate for 2-3 days.
Dice the bacon into tiny pieces and render the fat in a medium heat pan to fry the beef cubes.
Get the pan smoking and sear the meat on all sides, turning them every 30 seconds. Cook them in batches and place them onto a plate to cool. Once they’re all cooked, rub with flour on all sides so they become sticky.
Using the same pan, add the carrots, pearl onions, beef broth and any left over drippings from the cooked meat cubes.
In another pot, add the diced white onion with olive oil and fry until soft. Add the crush tomatoes, tomato paste and red wine marinade. Cook until it’s reduced by 50%, then mix in the cooked bacon bits.
Pre-heat the oven with oil in the clay pot. Then add the floured beef cubes. Cook in the oven at 250’c for 30 minutes. Open it up, give it a stir and add the onion sauce marinade.
Place back in the oven and continue braising the meat for 2.5 hours at 150’c.
Add the cooked carrots and pearl onions. Stir the stew and continue cooking for 20 minutes.
Add the mushroom, stir and cook for 10 more minutes.
