Making a perfect Boeuf Bourguignon

Boeuf Bourguignon is a very traditional French meal and one that every cook should have in her repertoire. It is a piece of beef pot roast cooked slowly to develop the flavors. A bottle of good Burgundy wine will supply both the wine for the recipe and the wine to accompany your meal.

What you will need:

1 boneless 3 lb. sirloin roast
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 slices of bacon diced
2 medium carrots, sliced
8 small new potatoes cut into four pieces
10 mushrooms sliced
24 pearl onions
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 bay leave
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
2 1/2 cups Burgundy wine

Place the flour on a plate and coat the roast on all sides.

In a skillet cook the bacon slowly until it is almost fully cooked. Remove bacon from the pan and place the beef roast into the skillet and brown. Turn it as many times as necessary. Get a beef pot roast cooking bag. Add the carrots, potatoes, mushroom, onions, garlic and spices, beef and bacon to the bottom of the bag. Slowly add the wine and seal the bag. Make a few air holes in the bag. Cook in a 350-degree oven for two hours. Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before cutting the bag open and plating the roast.

Serve with French bread and butter. Add a round of brie and fruit for dessert and you have a wonderfully impressive and delicious French wine beef pot roast meal.

Boeuf Bourguignon has its roots in the region of France known as Burgundy. Since Burgundy is a wine growing area, it is not surprising that one of their most popular dishes includes the local wine. It also uses a very specific type of beef which is raised in southern Burgundy, the Charolais cattle, known for their tenderness. It was the renowned French chef Escoffier who first turned this peasant dish into haute cuisine. Later, it became a classic dish in the repertoire of Julia Child and through her into many an American kitchen.

When the air is starting to develop a chill and the days are growing shorter, sitting down to this traditional meal will warm the body and the soul. Just the smell wafting through your home will bring the family running to see what tempting delight you have on the stove. You can feel free to act as if the whole process has exhausted you; they never have to know the truth.