Step by step: How to cook AUTHENTIC FRENCH BEEF STEW like a Pro!

red wine

🥗Healthier: non-alcoholic wine

💰Cheaper: beef broth

Non-alcoholic wine maintains flavor without alcohol.

beef chuck

🥗Healthier: sirloin

💰Cheaper: round steak

Sirloin is leaner while round steak is more economical.

bacon

🥗Healthier: turkey bacon

💰Cheaper: smoked pork belly

Turkey bacon reduces fat while maintaining smokiness.

beef broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water with bouillon

Vegetable broth offers a lighter option.

Cut beef into pieces of 50-70 grams.

Heat a large pan until hot and fry the beef pieces one layer at a time to avoid boiling, ensuring they are at room temperature before frying.

Cut one onion and one carrot into 1 cm cubes for the aromatic garnish (mirepoix).

Once the beef is browned, remove it from the pan and set aside.

Fry the aromatic garnish in the same pan.

Prepare veal stock if not using store-bought by cooking bones, carrots, onion, thyme, bay leaves, and garlic for 6 hours.

Return the beef to the pan with the aromatic garnish.

Add flour to the pan and toast it in the oven under the grill for about 2 minutes to give it color and flavor.

Deglaze the pan with a generous amount of red wine, scraping the bottom to release any stuck bits.

Add garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns to the pan.

If not using veal stock, add water to fill the pan.

Bring to a boil, then cover with foil and transfer to the oven at 150°C (302°F) for 5 hours.

Prepare the garnish by blanching homemade bacon in cold water for half a minute if it's salty, then fry it in a pan.

Clean small onions (or shallots) for the garnish, which can be fresh, marinated, or frozen.

Glaze the small onions in a pan with a bit of oil after boiling them briefly in water.

Cut mushrooms into scallops at a 45-degree angle for better frying surface area.

Fry the mushrooms in the bacon fat until golden, adding butter if necessary.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: