Boeuf Bourguignon is a traditional French beef stew recipe that combines red wine with the rich flavorings of bacon, onions and mushrooms. Like all stews and braises, the recipe leaves a lot of room for improvisations.

The best beef for stewing is one that is from a heavily used muscle. This makes the meat tough, which the stewing will take care of, but more importantly creates connective tissue within the muscle bundle.

That connective tissue will break down through the long, slow cooking process and help to naturally thicken the stew, giving the cooking liquid a velvety texture.

There is no better cut for stewing than the chuck roast. Conveniently, chuck roasts usually come in at around 3 to 4 pounds, making them perfect for use in this recipe. If you can’t find a nice chuck roast use your favorite beef for stewing.

The classic red wine for use in this dish is, of course, Burgundy. Now that most Burgundy has become rather dear, I suggest using an alternative, such as Beaujolais, a Cotes du Rhone, or my favorite: an inexpensive, fruity Zinfandel. Stay away from heavily oaked or sweet wines, as the cooking process will concentrate the wine, highlighting these traits.

Boeuf a la Bourguignon

Ingredients
* 6 ounces slab bacon, rind removed, cut into 1/4-by-1 1/2-inch lardoons
* 3 tablespoon olive oil
* 3 pounds stewing beef cut into 2-inch cubes, patted dry
* 1 cup carrot, thinly sliced into ½ inch coins
* 1 medium onion, sliced crosswise
* Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
* 6 cups red wine or some combination such as 1 bottle of red wine and 3 cups of beef stock. If using store bought beef stock find a low sodium brand
* 2 cups of diced tomatoes
* 3 cloves of garlic, smashed
* 1 tsp dried thyme
* 1 dried bay leaf
* 3 tbsp flour and 2 tbsp soften butter blended into a thick, smooth paste known as beurre manie
* 3 tbsp olive oil
* 2 dozen cipollini onions, or pearl onion, peeled
* 1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered