Beef Bourguignon

How to make it

1. Cut the beef chuck into 4-5 cm cubes and trim away the toughest sinew. Keep the cubes roughly the same size so they become tender at the same rate. ⏱ 10 min
   Chef's tip The big 4-5 cm cubes are deliberate: smaller pieces fall apart over three hours. Trim away only the tough silverskin — the fatty seams of connective tissue should stay and melt into gelatine.
2. Put the cubes in a bowl with the red wine, carrot, onion wedges, crushed garlic, thyme sprigs, bay leaf and peppercorns. The wine should cover the meat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate (see advance prep). ⏱ 10 min
3. Pour the marinade through a sieve into a bowl to collect the wine. Set the carrot, onion and garlic aside separately, and save the thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns for the pot.
4. Pat the meat cubes completely dry with paper towels, until the surface is matte and no longer glistens. Wet meat steams instead of browning.
   Chef's tip Surface water has to boil off before browning can begin, and it holds the meat near 100°C while it does. A matte, tacky surface hits the fat and browns at once instead of hissing and spitting.
5. Put the smoked pork belly cubes in a cold, ovenproof pot and cook over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, until the fat has rendered clear and the cubes are golden and crisp at the edges. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and set aside for later.
6. Turn the heat up to high and brown the patted-dry meat cubes in the pork fat in three batches, about 5 minutes per batch, until all sides have a deep brown crust. Never crowd the cubes, or they'll steam instead of browning. Remove each batch as it's done.
   Chef's tip Crowding drops the pan temperature and traps the juices the cubes release, so they simmer grey instead of searing. Listen for a steady, loud sizzle throughout; if it goes quiet and liquid pools, the batch is too big.
7. Turn the heat down to medium and sauté the carrot, onion wedges and garlic from the marinade for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and the edges are lightly browned.
8. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir it into the fat. Let it cook for 3 minutes, until the flour has disappeared and smells toasted rather than raw.
9. Pour in the strained red wine a little at a time while stirring, scraping the bottom clean of browned bits with a wooden spoon. Bring the wine to a boil and let it cook for 5 minutes, until it's lightly thickened and glossy.
   Chef's tip Adding the wine all at once floods the flour and leaves lumps you can't stir out. Pour a little at a time until the mixture goes from thick paste to smooth and pourable, then add the rest freely.
10. Preheat the oven to 150°C.
11. Return the browned meat cubes to the pot along with any juices they've released. Pour in the beef stock so the meat is just covered. Add the thyme and bay leaf and season lightly with salt, since the liquid will reduce for hours. Bring it up to a simmer for about 5 minutes, until small bubbles appear along the edge.
12. Cover the pot with the lid and braise it in the oven for 2½-3 hours, until the meat yields without resistance when you press a fork into it. ⏱ 2 h 30 min–3 h · passive
    Chef's tip At 150°C under a lid the liquid stays at a bare tremble, which is what turns the chuck's collagen to gelatin over hours. A hard boil tightens the muscle fibres and leaves the meat stringy even when it's technically tender.
13. Melt half of the butter for the garnish in a skillet over medium heat and brown the pearl onions all over for 5 minutes, until they have golden patches all the way around.
14. Add the stock for the garnish, cover the skillet and glaze the onions for 15 minutes, until they're tender all the way through and the liquid has reduced to a glossy film. Shake the skillet occasionally so the onions don't stick and burn. ⏱ 15 min
15. Wipe out the skillet and melt the remaining butter for the garnish over high heat. Cook the mushroom halves for 8 minutes, until they've released their moisture and turned golden. Season with salt only at the end, since salting early draws out the water and prevents browning.
16. Boil the potatoes in plenty of salted water for 18-20 minutes, until a knife slides into the center without resistance. ⏱ 20 min · passive
17. Drain the potatoes and let them steam dry in the pot for half a minute. Toss them with the butter for serving and the roughly chopped parsley, until they're glossy all over.
18. Fish the thyme and bay leaf out of the pot and skim the clear fat off the surface with a spoon. Fold in the glazed pearl onions, the sautéed mushrooms and the crisp pork belly cubes. Let the dish simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. ⏱ 10 min
19. Ladle the stew into deep plates with plenty of sauce and place the potatoes alongside, so they can be mashed into the sauce as you eat.