Beef Stew

This is an adaptation of an adaptation of a Julia Child recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon. I found a recipe online but the directions were far too complicated. Here is a much easier version you can make in a Dutch Oven. You could also use a casserole dish and fry everything in a large frying pan. I like making this in a Dutch Oven because it is easier to thicken the sauce at the end when you need to place it back on the stove top. This recipe is fairly inexpensive to make if you use boneless chuck steak, but feel free to use any cut of beef you prefer. When you are cutting up the beef make sure to trim off any excess fat.

    4 slices turkey bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces with a kitchen scissors

    1 tablespoon olive oil

    1 onion, chopped

    2 pounds boneless chuck steak, cut into 1-inch pieces

    2 carrots, peeled and sliced or cut up into even smaller pieces
    1 teaspoon seasoning salt
    ¼ teaspoon freshly ground Tellicherry peppercorns
    1 cup Burgundy
    2 cups water

    2 teaspoons beef base
    1 tablespoon tomato paste
    3 garlic cloves, crushed in a garlic press
    3 bay leaves

    2 cups water to make gravy

    2 tablespoons butter
    2 tablespoons flour

    2 tablespoons flour
     Water to mix with flour

1. Preheat the oven to 325°.

2. In a large Dutch oven fry the turkey bacon in olive oil on medium heat. Cook for
    a few minutes then transfer to a plate.

3. Fry the onions just until translucent and add them to the plate.

4.  Fry beef just until browned. You may want to do this in two batches. Placing
    the first batch onto the plate as well.

5. Add the beef, bacon and onions back to the Dutch oven and turn off the heat.

6. Add the carrots, seasoning salt, pepper, Burgundy, 2 cups water, beef base,
    tomato paste, crushed garlic and bay leaves.

7. Place the Dutch oven in the preheated oven and cook for 3 hours.

8. Remove the uncovered Dutch oven from the oven and add in the additional 
    2 cups of water. This is necessary as all the water will have evaporated. 
    Reheat on medium heat.

9. Blend the 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons flour. Add this to the
    simmering gravy. Then blend 2 more tablespoons flour with just enough water
    to make a thin paste. Add some of the hot gravy to the paste and then add it back
    to the Dutch oven. This should thicken the gravy perfectly.

10. Serve the beef stew with Betty Crocker’s roasted garlic mashed potatoes.
      (Follow the instructions on the box.)