Recipes » Beef » Beef Vigneronne (epicurious.com)

Ingredients

• 3 lb boneless beef chuck, or flap, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
• 1 bottle Burgundy or Rhône
• 2 onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced lengthwise (2-3 cups)
• 2 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
• 2 Turkish bay leaf
• 6 sprigs parsley plus 1/2 cup
• 2 carrot, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 large shallots, finely chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 8 oz thick-sliced bacon (preferably from slab bacon, rind removed if necessary; not smoked)
• 4 ½ cups pearl onions
• 1/4 cup water
• Parchment paper

Preparation

Put beef, wine, onion, thyme, bay leaf, parsley sprigs, and carrot in a plastic bag. Seal bag, pressing out excess air, and put in a bowl. Marinate beef, 16 to 24 hours.
Drain beef in a colander set over a large bowl, reserving marinade. Wipe off any solids clinging to beef, then pat beef dry. Season with ½ the salt and pepper.
preheat oven to 350°F.
Heat oil in a 3 1/2- to 4-quart heavy ovenproof pot with lid over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown beef well in 2 batches, without crowding, about 8 minutes per batch, transferring as browned with a slotted spoon to a plate.
Reduce heat to moderate, add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring, until shallot begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until shallot and flour are browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add reserved marinade liquid to flour mixture, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Add beef along with any juices accumulated on plate and cover with a round of parchment paper and lid. Simmer mixture while you prepare bacon.
Cut bacon slices crosswise into 1/4-inch strips and cook in an 8-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is beginning to crisp. Transfer bacon with slotted spoon to beef (reserve fat in skillet). Re-cover beef with parchment and lid and braise in oven, 1 1/2 hours.

While meat is braising, blanch pearl onions in a 3- to 4-quart pot of boiling water, 1 minute. Drain onions in a colander, then peel, leaving root ends intact. Cook onions in reserved bacon fat in skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes.

Pour off excess fat, add 1/4 cup water, scrape up brown bits. After meat has braised 1 1/2 hours, add pearl onions (with liquid in skillet), remaining salt and pepper to beef ; continue to braise, covered with parchment and lid, until onions are tender and meat is very tender, about 1/2 hour more. Skim any fat from surface of beef and serve beef with buttered egg noodles sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley leaves.