MAKES: 6 servings
PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes
COOKING TIME: 4 to 5 hours
This classic French dish might sound intimidating, but it’s actually incredibly easy to make. Dry red wine lends an earthy, rich flavor to the slow-cooked meat, which is wonderful with roasted green beans or steamed leafy greens. (Only add the carrot if it fits within your daily carbohydrate limit.)
Ingredients
BOUQUET GARNI:
2 sprigs fresh parsley and thyme
1 teaspoon peppercorns
3 whole cloves
3 bay leaves
STEW:
2 pounds (900 g) beef chuck steak or brisket
Salt
3 tablespoons (45 g/1.6 oz) ghee or other healthy cooking fat, divided
1 medium (110 g/3.9 oz) white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
Optional: 1 medium (60 g/2.1 oz) carrot, sliced
1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine such as Burgundy (see here for substitutions)
1 tablespoon (15 g/0.5 oz) unsweetened tomato paste
8 slices (240 g/8.5 oz) bacon
4 cups (300 g/10.6 oz) sliced white mushrooms
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
Suggested side: Make-Ahead Slow Cooker Mash or roasted green beans
Instructions
Preheat the slow cooker. Make the bouquet garni by placing all the herbs in a piece of cheesecloth and tying with unwaxed kitchen string.
Cut the beef into large chunks and season with some salt. Heat a Dutch oven or a heavy-based pot greased with 2 tablespoons (30 g/1.1 oz) of the ghee. Fry the beef chunks in batches over medium-high heat until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the chunks from the pot and place them in the slow cooker.
Add the onion, crushed garlic, and carrot (if using) to the pot where you browned the beef and lower the heat. Pour in the red wine and add the tomato paste. Bring to a boil and mix well with a spatula, scraping the caramelized cooking juices from the bottom of the pot. Pour into the slow cooker. Add the bouquet garni, cover with a lid, and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours. Remove the bouquet garni when the meat is cooked.
Grease a pan with the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 g) ghee and crisp up the bacon over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until tender and browned. Take off the heat and place in the slow cooker with the beef. Mix until well combined. Serve with Make-Ahead Slow Cooker Mash or roasted green beans. To store, let it cool, and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
NUTRITION FACTS PER SERVING:
Total carbs: 8.3 g / Fiber: 1.4 g / Net carbs: 6.9 g / Protein: 36.7 g / Fat: 45 g / Energy: 678 kcal
Macronutrient ratio: Calories from carbs (5%), protein (25%), fat (70%)
