Meal Twenty Four - Slow Cooked Beef Bourguignon

This recipe was my first go with our slow cooker. Sam has used it before for a beautiful buttered chicken curry, but this was my first attempt.

For those who have never used one - get one! They're so easy to use, as my method below shows!

The flavours were superb and the gravy just appears from nowhere. To begin with the sauce, before you put the mixture in the slow cooker, looks rather anaemic and weak, but after 8 hours you end up with a beautifully rich gravy that's taken on all the flavours of the meat, peppers and shallots.

I'll definitely be using it again and it may well make an appearance in the coming weeks. You can literally put your ingredients in in the morning, then your dinner is done for you when you walk in at night. A very useful tool!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup plain flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

2lbs stewing steak

4 rashers smoked bacon, cubed

4 knobs butter

1 onion, chopped finely

1 red pepper, diced

3 garlic gloves, finely diced

1lb baby button mushrooms

1lb shallots

4 carrots, peeled and finely diced

2 glasses of red wine

2 bay leaves

a handful of fresh flat leafed parsley

1 tsp dried thyme

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and black pepper. Coat the meat in the mixture.

2. Dry fry the bacon in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium to high heat. Add a couple of knobs of butter.

3. Add the meat and brown well on all sides.

4. Add the chopped onion, shallots, carrots, mushrooms, red pepper and garlic. Saute for about 10 minutes or until the chopped onion is soft.

5. Add the wine, bay leaves, parsley and thyme and continue to cook for a few minutes.

6. Transfer the ingredients to a slow cooker (mine is 3.5 litres) and cook on low for 6-8 hours. ( A long time but well worth it!!)

7. When ready, garnish with more fresh parsley and serve with crusty French bread.