Beef Bourguinon

Beef Bourguinon

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ pound sliced center cut bacon, chopped
• 1 package lean beef stew meat, cubed into 1 inch pieces
• salt
• ground black pepper
• 1 bag of baby carrots, cut in half diagonally
• 2 Vidalia onions, sliced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (refrigerated in a jar)
• ½ cup Cognac
• 1 750 ml bottle Pinot Noir
• 2 beef bouillon cubes, dissolved in 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 bag frozen whole pearl onions
• 1 package of fresh mushroom caps, washed and sliced
• sliced sourdough bread, sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled with garlic powder

1. In skillet, heat the olive oil and brown the chopped bacon, cooking about 10 minutes over medium heat. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Blot the beef cubes to dry with a paper towel. Salt and pepper them.
3. Sear the cubes in two batches about 3 to 5 minutes, making sure that the cubes are browned on all sides. Some people do not sear the cubes, but it really makes a huges difference in how it tastes in the end, so I recommend searing. Remove the cubes and set aside.
4. Toss carrots and sliced onions with 2 teaspoons of salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Put in the fat in the pan and cook for 10-15 minutes on medium, until pieces are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more. Do not add the garlic before that or it will burn and become bitter.
5. Using a butane lighting stick (like you use to light a grill), tilt the pan slightly, pour the cognac in it and immediately set it on fire. Once flaming, you can level the pan and allow the cognac to burn off. This step will enrich the flavor of the vegetables. Stir in the flour.
6. Pour all the vegetables including the pearl onions, meats, the bottle of pinot noir, the beef bouillon, two tablespoons of the butter, and tomato paste in a crockpot. Stir and place lid on the crockpot and cook at low 8 hours until vegetables are fork tender.
7. Brown the mushroom slices in two tablespoons of butter in a skillet until lightly brown. Add to the crockpot and cook another hour.
8. Toast the slices of sourdough bread, sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled with garlic powder in the oven. Remove when slightly brown.
9. Plate the bread, and spoon the mixture over the bread.
10. Serve and enjoy.