As the temperature drops, legendary British cook Mary Berry has shared her definitive recipe for a classic French stew, promising to deliver maximum comfort and flavour. Her take on beef bourguignon, detailed in her Simple Comforts cookbook, hinges on one crucial technique to build an intensely rich base.
The Secret to a Richer Stew
Mary Berry, celebrated for her decades of culinary expertise and approachable style, reveals that the foundation of her indulgent beef bourguignon is a reduced red wine. She insists that boiling a full-bodied red wine until it halves in volume before adding it to the dish creates a "lovely richness" that elevates the entire casserole. Described as "the ultimate comfort stew with a warming, intense red wine flavour," Berry promises this method "doesn't disappoint."
Ingredients and Method for the Perfect Bourguignon
The recipe calls for classic, hearty ingredients designed to satisfy. You will need 900g of stewing beef and 175g of smoked streaky bacon, along with onions, garlic, chestnut mushrooms, and small pickled onions. The alcoholic depth comes from 450ml of red wine and 4 tablespoons of brandy, with fresh thyme and parsley adding herbal notes.
The cooking process begins by preheating your oven to 160C (gas mark 3). Chop and cook the bacon with onion and garlic until coloured. In a separate pan, boil the red wine until it reduces by half – this is Berry's pivotal step. Flour is sprinkled over the bacon mixture before the reduced wine, brandy, and half the beef stock are added.
Once thickened and brought to a gentle boil, add the remaining stock and the beef. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme, bring back to a boil, then cover and transfer to the oven for 1.5 to 2 hours. Towards the end, sauté halved mushrooms in butter, add peeled pickled onions, and combine with the casserole for a final 40 minutes of cooking until the meat is beautifully tender.
A Hearty Centrepiece for Winter Dining
Finished with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, this rich, wine-infused stew is meant to be served piping hot straight from the oven. It stands as the ideal centrepiece for a cosy winter meal, offering a steaming bowl of comfort on cold, wet evenings. With clear, step-by-step guidance, Berry ensures that anyone can recreate this beloved classic at home.
For those inspired by this recipe, Mary Berry's latest collection, Mary 90: My Very Best Recipes, featuring 90 of her perfected dishes, is currently available. Meanwhile, fans of The Great British Bake Off can also find books by fellow stars like Paul Hollywood and Chetna Makan offering further culinary inspiration for the season.
