Beef Burgundy

• 8 slices bacon, chopped
• 3 pounds stew meat or boneless beef chuck, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• Salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for beef
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound sliced button mushrooms
• 5 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3 1/2 cups beef broth (see page 201)
• 1 bottle dry red wine, preferably Burgundy
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Cook the bacon in a heavy ovenproof Dutch oven set over high heat until crisp, about 7 minutes.
3. Transfer the bacon to a paper towellined plate.
4. Set aside.
5. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper, and toss in the flour.
6. Working in three batches so as not to crowd the pot, add the meat to the pot with the rendered bacon fat.
7. Cook the beef, turning to brown all sides, about 5 minutes per batch.
8. Transfer the meat to a large bowl.
9. Into the same pot, add the onions, carrots, mushrooms, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper and cook until the vegetables are light brown, about 8 minutes.
10. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
11. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the beef.
12. Add 1 1/2 cups of the broth to the pot.
13. Bring to a boil and cook, scraping up browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until reduced to a glaze, about 8 minutes.
14. Return the meat and vegetables and their juices to the pot.
15. Add the wine, thyme, brown sugar, tomato paste, bay leaf, and the remaining 2 cups of broth.
16. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
17. Cover the pot and place it in the oven.
18. Braise until the beef is tender, about 2 hours.
19. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
20. When it comes to cooking with wine, Sandy follows the sage advice of Julia Child, who said, If you do not have a good wine to use, it is far better to omit it, for a poor one can spoil a simple dish and utterly debase a noble one.

bacon, stew meat, salt, freshly ground black pepper, flour, yellow onions, carrots, button mushrooms, garlic, beef broth, red wine, thyme, brown sugar, tomato paste, bay leaf

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/beef-burgundy-378249 (may not work)