Beef Bourguignon (Beef Burgundy)

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• 640 g Beef chuck roast
• 1 2/3 each Carrots
• 13 each Pearl onions
• 5/6 each Bay leaves
• 2 1/3 sprigs Dried thyme
• 600 ml Red wine
• 2 3/8 tablespoons Vegetable oil
• 5/8 tsp + 1/6 tsp Salt
• 3/8 tsp Black pepper
• 160 g Mushrooms
• 120 g Bacon
• 40 g Unsalted butter
• 2 1/3 cloves Garlic
• 1 5/8 tablespoons Tomato paste
• 4 5/6 tablespoons Flour
• 2 3/8 cups Beef broth
• 1 5/8 tablespoons Parsley

1. Marinate beef: Place the Beef Marinade ingredients in a large, non-reactive ceramic dish or ziplock bag. Marinate overnight in the fridge (minimum 12 hours, maximum 24 hours).
2. Strain liquid into a bowl, reserve marinade. Separate the beef, carrots and onion.
3. Reduce wine: Pour red wine into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Simmer vigorously, skimming off any impurities that rise to the surface, until reduced by half. Set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan).
5. Dry beef: Line a tray with paper towels, spread beef out, then pat dry with paper towels.
6. Season beef: Sprinkle beef with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
7. Brown beef: Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large, heavy-based, oven-proof pot over high heat. Add 1/3 beef and brown aggressively all over. Remove into bowl, then repeat with remaining beef, adding more oil if needed.
8. Fry bacon: Add bacon and cook for 3 minutes until golden. Add to bowl with beef.
9. Sauté mushrooms: Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, or until golden. Remove into a new bowl.
10. Sauté onion: Add a bit of extra oil if needed, then cook onions for 5 minutes or until there are nice golden patches. Add to bowl with mushrooms.
11. Sauté carrot: Add butter into pot. Once melted, add carrot and cook for 3 - 4 minutes until there are golden patches. Add garlic and cook for a further 1 minute.
12. Tomato paste: Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
13. Flour: Add flour and cook for 2 minutes.
14. Add wine and stock: While stirring, slowly pour in beef stock – this helps the flour dissolve lump-free into the stock. Then add wine and mix until flour mixture is dissolved and mostly lump-free (Note 6).
15. Add beef into pot: Add beef, bacon, thyme, bay leaf, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper into the pot, then stir well.
16. Oven 1 hour: Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven for 1 hour. (Note 7)
17. Mushrooms and onion: Remove from oven, stir in mushrooms and onion.
18. Oven 1½ hours: Cover with lid and return to oven for 1½ hours, or until beef is "fall-apart tender".
19. Adjust salt: Remove from oven, taste sauce and add salt if needed. (Note 8 - important!)
20. Leave overnight (recommended): If time permits, leave the stew overnight before serving because as with all stews, it gets better with time! Reheat gently on a low stove.
21. Serve over mashed potato – Essential for mopping up every drop of that amazing sauce!