beef bourguignon

30 pearl onions, peeled
20 small brown button mushrooms, quartered
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 pounds tender lean beef
5 slices bacon
2 tsp dried thyme
2 cups beef stock
2 cups dry, full-bodied, red wine
salt/pepper

Cut beef into one-inch cubes. In a large Dutch oven (cast iron pot) over high heat, sear beef in at least two batches, on all sides. Remove beef from pot and replace pot over heat. Add bacon and allow to render until fat is melted. Add pearl onions and cook until they begin to caramelize. Add mushrooms and garlic to sear, then add in red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Allow wine to simmer and reduce a little, then add seared beef, thyme and beef stock. Cover and place in a 350-degree oven to braise for about an hour, until beef is very tender and sauce is thickened (but not gravy). Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over hot buttered egg noodles.

Notes: Don’t confuse pearl onions with pickling onions, they’re not the same thing. If using a commercial beef stock (or broth), you shouldn’t need any extra salt. Consider picking up some beef bones at the butcher and making a stock. The results will always be better.