Beef Bourguignon is a rich, luxurious French stew that was first made popular in America by Julia Child. (It is pronounced boor-ghee-NYON.) Beef Bourguignon is braised beef, simmered in a red wine chicken stock with a host of fresh vegetables. It may seem like this soup requires extra effort, but it is really quite simple to prepare. So much more than a soup, it’s a meal in itself when served with garlic knots or good crusty bread.

Directions

Prepare the Ribs

1. Season ribs with one tablespoon kosher salt and fresh pepper. Coat with one and a half tablespoons of cornstarch.

2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown ribs on all sides for six to seven minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Prepare the Soup

1. Add the onion to the pot and heat for seven to eight minutes until translucent. Add garlic, mushrooms, carrots, celery, and pastrami and sauté for five minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Return ribs with plate juices to the pot. Raise heat to high for one to two minutes.

2. To deglaze, add wine and scrape up the bits with a spoon. Allow the wine to reduce for one minute. Add chicken stock, potatoes, thyme, and the bay leaf and bring to a boil. Partially cover the pot and simmer for two and a half to three hours.

3. Remove from heat and season with additional kosher salt and pepper if necessary.

4. Remove ribs from the pot and remove bones from the meat. Discard the bones and cut the meat in to bite-size pieces.

5. Return the meat to the pot and add the pearl onions. Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for additional 30 – 40 minutes.

6. Serve hot with garlic knots.

Tips:

Peeling pearl onions is much easier than it looks. With this blanching trick, the onions practically peel themselves: Rinse the onions with the skins still intact in a colander under running water. Drop them into a pot of boiling water for three minutes. Drain and place in cold water for three to four minutes. One by one, cut off the root ends and squeeze the onions right out.