Bourbon Beef Stew
Get ready to cozy up with a big bowl of Bourbon Beef Stew - a hearty hug in a pot! This recipe takes tender chunks of chuck roast on a flavorful journey through pancetta, pearl onions, and mushrooms, all drenched in the rich embrace of bourbon and red wine. Simmer to perfection, and voila! This recipe serves 4-6 people. It's a thick and luxurious stew that pairs perfectly with crusty sourdough, blankets, and the chill of cold weather. This is the perfect winter warmer!
BOURBON BEEF STEW
3 tbs Olive Oil, divided
8 oz Diced Pancetta
8 oz Sliced White Mushrooms
14 oz Frozen Pearl Onions (thawed, patted dry)
3 lb Cubed Beef*
1 cup Flour
1 cup Bourbon or Rye, divided
3 cups red wine (ex: Cab, Merlot)
1 Large Yellow onion, cut into chunks
6-8 Cloves Garlic, minced or pressed
4oz Tomato Paste
2 cups beef stock
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut
2 sprigs Fresh Thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Season beef with salt & pepper, dredge in flour. *I use a chuck roast, cut into 1in cubes.
In a large dutch oven over high heat, cook pancetta until it’s browned on all sides. (4-5 min) Remove from pan and set aside.
While rendered grease is still hot, add pearl onions and brown (3-4 min), then remove from pan and set aside. Add a tablespoon of the olive oil, mushrooms, a pinch of salt and a couple turns of cracked black pepper. Sweat mushrooms until they’ve reduced in size by half (5-7 min), stirring occasionally. Remove and set aside with pancetta and onions.
Add remaining oil and brown beef in batches. Set aside. When all beef is browned, deglaze the pan with 3/4 cup of the bourbon, scraping up all the browned bits and letting liquid reduce (2min). Add thyme, onion, garlic, carrots and saute for 2-3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, red wine, beef stock/ Bring to a simmer, occasionally stirring. Add back pancetta, beef, pearl onions & mushrooms, then put in oven to simmer for 1.5 hrs hours. Can also be done on stove top for 2 hours. Once the cooking time is up, stir in the remaining ¼ c bourbon, and add additional salt & pepper to taste. Consistency should be thick and luxurious.
