Daily Reflection, February 12, 2010 - Boeuf Bourguignon

Learning Outcome: Boeuf Bourguignon (adapted from Julie Child)

MISE EN PLACE:

General Mise en Place
• Soapy water bucket
• Santitizer bucket
• Sanitizer spray
• Rubber mat & cutting board
• Terry kitchen towels
• Pie tins
• Tasting spoons
• Plastic ramekins
• Styrofoam pints

Specific Mise en Place
• Chef knife
• Kitchen twine
• Cheese cloth, about 8x8 4 ply
• Aluminum foil, 2-3 ply
• Paper towels
• Tong’s
• Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
• Fine mesh sieve
• Small aluminum mixing bowl
• Medium aluminum mixing bowl
• Small sauté pan
• Medium sauce pot



INGREDIENTS:

1½# Beef Bottom Round, 2” cube
3 oz Bacon, sticks (1 ½” x 1/4 “)
1 ea Carrot, medium oblique
½ # Onion, large dice
½# Mushrooms
24 Pearl Onions,
½ T Extra virgin Olive oil
TT Salt & pepper
1 T Flour
1½ c Red wine
½ T Beef stock
½ T Tomato paste
1 ea Garlic
1/8 t Thyme
1 ea Bay leaf


METHOD:

Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 450°F

Step 2:
Collect the mise en place. Pat the cubed meat with paper towels, and keep in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use.

Step 3:
Sear the mushrooms.
First, wash the mushrooms under cold water in a mixing bowl with salt. Once the mushrooms are clean and dried, add them to a hot pan to sear. When done, season with salt and white pepper, and leave the mushrooms on the side for later use.

Step 4:
Fry the bacon until “breakfast brown”.
First, blanch the bacon in boiling water for a few minutes, until they’re slightly firm. Next, in the large sauce pot, sauté the bacon until crispy and brown, or “breakfast brown”. When the desired doneness has been achieved, hold the bacon on the side for later use, and keep the fat for the next step.

Step 5:
Using the same sauce pot with the bacon fat, add the onions and carrots and begin to caramelize. A few minute before the carrots and onions are done, add the garlic and sweat. Remove the caramelized vegetables from the pot, and clean the pot.

Step 6:
Sear the meat.
Start with a hot pot with enough olive oil to lightly cover the bottom. Without crowding the pot place the meat into the pot, and develop a nice sear on all sides of the meat. When the first batch is done, remove it from the pot, and repeat with the next batch until all the meat has been seared.

Step 7:
Return all the meat to the pot, add the crispy bacon, and flour. Fully incorporate to develop a dry roux. You may have to add more flour if there’s still a lot of moisture.

Step 8:
Place the pot into the 425°F oven for 4-5 minutes. After the first 5 minutes, toss, and return to the oven for an additional 4-5 minutes.

Step 9:
Remove the pot from the oven, and return to the range over medium heat. Add the tomato paste, red wine, and beef stock. Incorporate and bring to a boil.

Step 10:
Finally, add the root vegetables, fresh thyme, and sachet. Bring to a boil.

Step 11:
Using a 2-3 ply aluminum foil, create a tight lid. Be sure to crimp all around the edges, so that it’s air tight.


Step 12:
Place the pot into a 325°F oven for 21/2 to 3 hours.

Step 13:
In the meantime, trim the stem and root ends of the onion, and blanch the pearl onions. Once the skins begin to separate during the blanching process, remove it from the heat and shock with cold water. When the onions are cool give them a light squeeze and they’ll pop out of the skin.

Step 14:
Caramelize the pearl onions in a sauté pan with extra virgin olive oil. Add a light sprinkle of sugar to assist with it’s caramelization process. Once caramelization has been achieved season with salt and white pepper, combine with seared mushrooms on the side.

Step 15:
At about 2½ hours, check the beef for doneness using the end of a small serving utensil. The tip should easily sink in through the fibers of the meat. If more time is needed, replace the foil lid and return to the oven.

Step 16:
Once the bourguignonne is done, return it to the range over medium heat and incorporate the seared mushrooms and caramelized peal onions.

Step 17:
Strain out the meat and vegetables, and reduce the sauce until a medium nappe is achieve. Once achieved, return all the meat and vegetables, and carefully fold in.

STATEMENT :
According to Larousse Gastronomic, bourguignonne is the French name given to a dish that is made with red wine. It’s also the name given to dishes that are inspired by Burgundy which is known as the center of French cuisine. Dishes that are ala bourguigonne are generally made with a red wine from their region, and with of course, beef, but with chicken, fish, seafood, frogs, or vegetables as well. The classic accompanied vegetables are mushrooms, small onions, and bacon.
Today we made boeuf bourguignonne. The recipe we used was form Julia Child, but we added a few extra ingredients such as more carrots, mushrooms, and pearl onions. This was ironic since Jodi and I have been watching the movie Julie & Julia all week – short increments at a time while I took a dinner break from homework. We finally, finished the movie during dinner tonight after I got home from work. It was an excellent movie, and I’m proud to have experienced making a classic boeuf bourguinonne.