Based on his last name, you can tell Chris Ouellette is French. This recipe comes from a long line of Ouellettes back in New Hampshire and even Quebec (yes, the French part). It was a favorite of Chris’ dad. Feel free to use your favorite Burgundy, though Chris prefers a Petite Sirah.

“My dad says, ‘This is better made a day before, refrigerated and reheated gently,’” Chris says. “I feel it’s mandatory.”

If necessary, add more wine to thin the sauce while reheating or, if you prefer it thicker, that is what the potato starch is for. Finally, this is cooking (not baking). All measurements are merely guidelines. Chris advises: try it, tweak it and make it your own.

Boeuf Bourguignon
Ingredients
3 lbs. boneless beef chuck
1 stick butter or margarine
3 Tbsp. brandy
1 medium onion (yellow or red)
chopped to 1/2” pieces
2 lbs. fresh crimini mushrooms
chopped in quarters
2 1/2 Tbsp. potato starch
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 cubes beef boullion
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 cups Burgundy
1 cup dry sherry
1 cup ruby port
1 10 1/2 oz. can condensed beef
broth, undiluted
3 bay leaves
Parsley

Instructions
WIPE beef with paper towels.
With sharp knife, cut into 1” cubes.
SLOWLY heat 5-quart dutch oven
with light fitting lid.
ADD in 2 Tbsp. of hot butter. Over
high heat, brown beef well all
over—do about 1/4 at a time, enough
to cover bottom of dutch oven so all
cubes cook evenly.
TURN beef with tongs. Lift out as
it browns. Continue until all of the
beef is browned, adding more butter
as needed (takes about 1/2 hour).
Once done, return all cubes to the
dutch oven.
HEAT 2 Tbsp. brandy in small
saucepan just until vapor rises.
IGNITE and pour over beef (this
part is optional and I usually skip
after nearly burning my house down
… twice). As the flame dies (if
you’re brave enough to have ignited
it), remove beef cubes to another pan
and set aside.
ADD 2 Tbsp. butter to dutch oven at
medium heat.
ADD onions and cook over medium
heat, covered, until onions brown
slightly, stirring occasionally.
ADD mushrooms and cook, again
stirring occasionally, roughly 5 minutes
or enough time to fully sweat
the onion/mushroom combo.
REMOVE onions and mushrooms
with slotted spoon to a separate
bowl, leaving the “juice” behind.
REMOVE dutch oven from heat.
STIR in tomato paste, red wine,
sherry, port, boullion cubes
and beef broth using a wooden
spoon or whisk.
PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees.
BRING wine mixture in dutch oven
just to boiling then lower heat to
low. While stirring, add beef, pepper,
bay leaf, onions, mushrooms and
remaining brandy; mix well.
PLACE a large sheet of waxed paper
over top of dutch oven; place lid
on top of paper.
BAKE covered, stirring occasionally.
COOK 2 hours or until beef is tender
when pierced with a fork.
SPRINKLE with parsley and let
cool a while (usually an hour for me)
then put in the refrigerator overnight.