The Legend of Beef Burgundy

I don't know how to put this, but I'm kind of a big deal. People know me. I'm very important. I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany.
-- Ron Burgundy, "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy"

I'd like to think that Ron Burgundy is a beef burgundy kind of guy. Beef burgundy, or boeuf bourguignon as the French call it, is strong, meaty and sophisticated--with that certain Je ne sais quoi--like The Man. As much as Ron Burgundy is a manly man, beef burgundy is a manly man's meal.

Take the meat for example. It can only be beef, nothing else. Chunks big enought to choke any girly man yet sensitive enough to fall apart if you so much as raise a fork to it. The sauce is bold--made from a bottle of hearty red wine--yet down-to-earth with its mushrooms, pearl onions and potatoes. When done right, beef burgundy should taste of the pasture where the cow grazed and the field where the mushrooms bloomed--tastes befitting a man's man like Ron Burgundy.

Beef burgundy can be served over a bed of squiggly egg noodles that are satisfying yet unpredictable in nature, always wanting to escape being poked by your fork to jump on your Halston dress or Givenchy leisure suit. Big("I'm a man who discovered the wheel and built the Eiffel Tower out of metal and brawn. That's what kind of man I am."), sensitive ("Oh, I'm in a glass case of emotion!"), bold ("I'm storming your castle on my steed, m'lady."), earthy, satisfying and unpredictable. These are adjectives that also describe the man who is Ron Burgundy.

Yes, I'd like to think that Ron Burgundy likes beef burgundy like I do. And yesterday was a cold, windy Sunday that called for strong hearty stew--a call that I answered with a big pot of beef burgundy.

Beef Burgundy (Boeuf Bourguignon)
serves 6

1/2 lb thick sliced bacon, chopped
3 lb stew meat (such as chuck or rump roast), cut into 1.5" chunks
8 Tbsp butter, divided
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 onion, chopped
3 Tbsp flour
bouquet garni (a few springs of parsley, a spring of thyme and a bay leaf, tied together with twine so that it can be easily removed at the end of cooking.)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes
3/4 lb pearl onions
1 lb mushrooms (button, crimini or white), quartered
2 Tbsp chopped parsley for garnish
1.5 lb egg noodles
1 bottle (750 mL) hearty red wine, preferably a burgundy (of course!)
2-3 cups beef stock or broth
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 275.

In a large heavy pot or dutch oven fry the bacon over medium heat until all the fat is rendered, spoon out and set aside. Pour out all the bacon fat and reserve it.

Sear the beef: In the same pot, heat 2 tbsp of the bacon fat over medium high heat. Add half the beef , taking care not to crowd. Sear on all sides, remove and set aside. Pour in another 2 tbsp oil and sear the rest of the beef on all sides then remove and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and melt 2 tbsp butter. Add the garlic, chopped onions and carrots, sautee for a few minutes until the they begin to soften. Sprinkle in the flour and continue to sautee for another 2 minutes.

Add the beef and bouquet garni, pour in the wine and enough beef stock to cover and bring to a boil. Cover and bake in the oven for 3 hours or until the beef is tender. Stir the stew every 30 minutes.

While the stew is in the oven, prepare the potatoes, pearl onions and mushrooms: Heat 1 tbsp of bacon fat in a pan. Add the potatoes and sear on all sides. Discard the bacon fat. Melt 1 tbsp butter and sautee the pearl onions until golden. Remove and set aside. Melt 1 tbsp butter and sautee the mushrooms until softened. Set the mushrooms aside and make sure you save the released mushroom liquid!

Remove the stew from the oven and place back on the burner over low to keep the stew simmering. Remove the bouquet garni and add the potatoes, pearl onions and mushrooms. Simmer, uncovered for another 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Season to taste.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook and drain the noodles then butter the noodles with 2-4 tbsp butter.

Serve the beef burgundy over the egg noodles and garnish with the chopped parsley. Make sure there is plenty of baguette on hand to mop up the plate.

"Stay Classy, San Diego!"