Beef Bourguignon

I don't really see the difference between this dish and beef stew. I made it once and was reasonably impressed, but for four hours of cooking (and an entire movie based on it, it seems like) I expected manna from heaven.

That being said I think that flour and browning before cooking is very important, as is the oven. I couldn't tell you why. I just do.

Yes, I agree with only cooking with wine you would drink. I was surprised the accomplished Bourdain was suggesting that this need not be the case, but I think he was sort of making it less intimidating to the beginner home cook.

No he's not. He could have been. He had talent, but drugs and fast living kind of hindered his progress. He's a good chef, but he is nowhere near great.

But he does know food, and if a very talented writer. He's respected by chefs because he is one of them, but he isn't considered great.

In these situations, it's probably best to consult a food scientist, which usually means Harold McGee.

Got this from the internets:
McGee says to quickly sear pieces a minimum of an inch per side, then into the cold oven, turn it on to 200 F and let it cook for two hours, then increase heat to 250 for another hour, at which time you begin checking for tenderness. Once cooked, let it sit outside the oven in its braise to cool, allowing it to reabsorb some of the liquid. Then make a sauce. Great for making in advance and sticking in the fridge, then gently reheating for serving (you can microwave at a low setting with no harm).

According to McGee, too high a heat dries out the muscle fibers. And the low temp for a sustained time allows the collagen to soften into gelatin, giving you that great mouth-fee.

I watched bourdain make that on the techniques special. I made a batch and followed his steps and came out great. It just tales time. Low n slow for 4 hours. Skimming the grease. Stirred occationally but not toohard so not to break up the meat.

I've always made this in a Dutch Oven on the stove and different ways and sometimes more or less a Red Wine Stew.

If you don't brown the meat and simmer it in the wine, the meat will (obviously) takes sort of like the wine - but it's not bad and very tender.

Most important and the best results:

1) Flour the meat
2) Brown the meat in the Dutch Oven or Pot (that you will cook it in) and use bacon fat/grease to brown the meat in. Remove the meat, then saute the onions and then drain the leftover bacon fat...you want to brown the meat in the same pot so you can scrape up those little bits of bacon bits while it's simmering later.
3) Put the meat back in and add the wine to simmer
4) I add tomato paste if I am adding beef broth to make it a little stewy.

From there you can add whatever and play with it depending on whether you want traditional or American-style stew.

Report?

I made her pearl onions and they were flavored way too much like the wine. I used a cheap wine. Mistake. Definitely use a good wine for these.

Since the origin of the dish is Burgundy, I would use pinot noir.

Explain for us Neanderthals.