Sharing some inside baseball, I’ve had shoulder surgery recently, and I’m not as deft with a knife as I would like. Some things are just not a good idea to do one-handed; certainly not knife-play.
So as much as I’d like to share a beautiful Beef Bourguignon with you today, I had to take the easy route and skip the vegetable prep.
It’s a grey, rainy day out today and this is a great “under the blanket watching Game of Thrones again with my daughter” kind of dish. Forget the 95-degree days for a moment and enjoy this hearty, happy, comforting bowl.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2-2 lbs chuck steak*
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin divided
1 tsp paprika divided
2 tsp salt divided
1 tsp black pepper divided
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 minced garlic cloves divided
3/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup beef broth
Grits, rice or noodles
Eggs, optional
METHOD
*Instacart scores again: I ordered a chuck roast and got a chuck steak - about an inch thick. You can, of course, use a roast, just cut it small enough to break down into pieces easy to braise.
Cut (or tear, in my case) the beef into pieces (see picture below).
Lightly salt & pepper the beef pieces.
Heat olive oil in a skillet or Dutch Oven over high heat. Brown the beef chunks. Then remove them and set aside.
In the pan, begin layering the ingredients in the following order; 1/2 browned beef chunks, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, then half the garlic (pressed).
Repeat layering the rest of the spices with the remaining beef chunks.
Add the red wine and broth to the meat and place the lid on top. Place the pot onto the cooktop and bring it to a boil. Place the pot into the oven for 1 1/2 -2 hours at 360 degrees. Cook until the meat is fully cooked through.
Prepare the grits, rice or noodles as the package suggests, although for rice or grits, I prefer to use beef or chicken broth to cook them as opposed to just water.
To serve, top the grain with some of the beef and some of the juice.
I confess that I think a warm egg yolk is the most perfect sauce on earth. So I topped the beef with a poached egg, but it’s also great without.
Though I think a lighter red like a Tempranillo would have gone well with this, I treated myself to a bottle that’s been waiting for me on the shelf - a 2019 Caymus Cab. I’m glad I did - heart and limb (almost) healed.