French Style Classic Beef Stew

This is a recipe inspired by Julia Child "Beef Bourgonon" that has a lot of complicated steps. When are you have plenty of time to execute that this is definitely a way to go. However, most of us pressed for time all the time and I had simplified this recipe to have bold flavor with less effort requirements. As always make sure to buy the best quality ingredients as it makes one of a kind flavor dish that will sure to become you staple recipe.

This recipes required apple smoked beacon. Of course if you are a household where beacon is not consumed just omit this step and start with olive oil. Preheat a dutch oven or any oven prof pot and start preheating a table spool of olive oil in it. Cut 3 bacon strips into bite size pieces and start Browning in the pan. Once all fat is rendered remove beacon pieces from the pan.

Start with premium cuts of beef stew size pieces. Wash it and pat dry with bounty sheet sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the same pan where you browned beacon and brown to seal all juices inside the meat. Do not overcrowd the pan and work in batches. Meat has to brown on all sides then remove from pan.

Next add chopped onions, carrots and celery to the pan and sweat it for a few minutes. Then add one table spoon of garlic paste and one table spoon of tomato paste. Sweat it together with vegetables.

Add a couple of sprigs of THYME and red wine you will be serving with this dish to cover the meat. Return the beacon and browned meat to the pot. Bring the pot to boil, then place it in the preheated to 375 degrees oven for 2 hours.

When the meat is almost ready to come out from the oven take you Bella mushrooms (baby portabello), clean it with wet bounty sheet and slice. Start a saute pan with a little of olive oil and pan fry mushrooms in it for a few minutes till it is soft all the way through, but not cooked. Remove the stew pot from the oven, add mushrooms to it and cook another 15-20 minutes on the top of the stove on simmer.

All flavors will come together by then and meat will be super tender. If you want to make it with a side dish i recommend mashed potatoes or any soft noddles.When are you ready to serve I like to toast a large piece of a rustic country bread and place it on the side of the big deep bowl. Then ladle your stew there and Enjoy it.