Cognac and two Dijon mustards flavor this rich, hearty classic French stew. Recipe below.
LOOK UP CARNIVOROUS FRANCOPHILE in the dictionary and you’ll probably see my picture. Okay, it’s not a real dictionary term, but it should be. The French are particularly good at taking humble cheap cuts of meat—beef chuck roast, for instance—and slow cooking them into something spectacular. Dijon and Cognac Beef Stew is a perfect example.
Its name reveals its Frenchness. Dijon mustard is named for a town in Burgundy that, in the Middle Ages, was the center of mustard making in France. Cognac is similarly named for a commune or town in southwest France. While the name Dijon is no longer geographically protected, Cognac can only bear that name if it comes from the region.
This stew also demonstrates what stews—and especially French stews—do well. It takes numerous ingredients, some of them fairly big-flavored, and turns them all into ensemble players, adding to the overall deliciousness of the dish without taking over. It uses two kinds of mustard—Dijon and whole grain Dijon, a quarter of a cup in all—but there is nothing mustardy about the end result. Just a slight tangy brightness that cuts the richness of the meat and butter.
Dijon and Cognac Beef Stew is satisfyingly hearty. A modest serving is more than enough. This recipe will generously serve four, with possible leftovers. You can serve it with mashed potatoes instead of egg noodles, if you like, but it goes wonderfully with the noodles, we think.
Dijon and Cognac Beef Stew
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 to 3 shallots, chopped
- 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
- unsalted butter, as needed
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1- to 1-1/-inch cubes
- flour for dredging beef
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup Cognac or brandy (see Kitchen Notes)
- 1-1/2 cups beef broth unsalted or reduced sodium
- 3/4 cup dry red wine, divided
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
- 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard or coarse-ground
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced on a diagonal
- 1/2 pound mushrooms, stemmed, cleaned and quartered (button mushrooms are fine, but you can also use crimini)
- dried wide egg noodles, cooked according to package instructions (see Kitchen Notes)
Instructions
- Sauté bacon in large skillet over medium heat until just crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve.
- Add onion and shallot to skillet and sweat over medium heat, adding a little of the butter, if your bacon didn’t leave enough fat. Add garlic and cook another minute. Transfer with slotted spoon to a Dutch oven.
- Season beef cubes lightly with salt and generously with pepper. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Add some butter to same skillet, as necessary, and brown meat on all sides, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Transfer to Dutch oven as it is browned.
- TURN OFF THE FLAME UNDER THE SKILLET. Pour Cognac (or brandy, which I used) into skillet. Holding skillet away from stove, turn on burner (I did the first part, but not the second, and the brandy caught fire impressively—see Kitchen Notes). Reduce by half. Stir in stock and 1/2 cup wine and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard and the whole grain mustard. Pour over beef and onion mixture in Dutch oven. Crumble/tear bacon into Dutch oven and stir to combine everything. Bring to simmer, cover partially, and cook about 2 hours. Add carrots and cook another 30 minutes.
- Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet (perhaps the same one, which you washed while the beef and carrots were simmering) over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until juice from the mushrooms cooks down and they begin to brown. Add remaining wine and remaining Dijon mustard and cook about 30 seconds. Stir mushroom mixture into stew and simmer another 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, if needed.
- Meanwhile, cook egg noodles. Divide egg noodles among 4 shallow bowls. Spoon stew over noodles and serve.
This dish is wonderful! And exactly the sort of thing I most like to eat. And cook, for that matter. So many great flavors in this dish — bliss! 🙂 Thanks.
Greetings from locked-down SW France! How are you guys?
We’ve been feasting on these sorts of things for the past few months – lord, it’s been a cold winter here! Daubes and mijotons and ragoûts and civets and pots-au-feu – they’re all wonderful and stave off the icy winds and pelting rains. It helps that our neighbor slaughtered a lamb and gave us half! Which of course led to perfecting a tajine:)
There is a wonderful product in the markets here for about 3 weeks every March called l’ail des ours – garlic of the bears. I’m pretty sure it’s made from garlic scapes. People make a kind of pesto out of it and serve it on toasted pain de campagne. Absolutely delicious, with a huge kick, and a dollop of the pesto does wonders for a slow-simmered stew. Maybe add some scapes to your next batch of slow-cooked meatstuffs?
Anyway, spring is now here and we’re sheltered at home with a few exceptions, so here comes the garden! I’m surrounded by seed trays and off to pick some hyssop and wild mint as well as wild orchids and cowslips for a “centerpiece.”
Stay safe and well, mes amis!
John, we totally love this kind of dish, especially now as a cold, rainy day leads us into spring.
Mellen, we are always delighted by your virtual visits to southwest France for us here. Sounds like you two are doing well. You stay safe too!
This is really lovely!