Autumn Beef Burgundy Stew

Autumn arrived with a sudden weather change last week. One day the temperatures are in the 90's, and three days later we're putting the wool blankets on the beds!

Over the weekend, a storm blew in from the northwest - nothing like the rain all of you on the east coast are dealing with - but a reminder of the storm that hit us two years ago this weekend.

Do you remember this picture?

In case you missed my post about that storm, or you want to read it again, here's the link.

But this year the temperatures are staying above freezing, and the blustery rain is perfect for a good, hearty stew.

If you've been hanging around the Cafe for awhile, you know how I love to use my crock pot for stews and other long-simmering dishes. But I also love my cast iron.

This recipe is perfect for my everyday skillet -

Beef Burgundy Stew

ingredients:

5 slices bacon, preferably thick sliced, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds beef, cubed

1/2 medium onion, quartered and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup red wine, regular or cooking wine
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
2 Bay leaves
salt & pepper to taste (omit salt if using cooking wine)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon all spice or ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon paprika
4 cups beef broth, divided
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
4-5 carrots, peeled and sliced

Brown the bacon in a cast iron Dutch oven or deep skillet. Remove with a slotted spoon.

In the bacon grease, brown the cubed beef for 10-15 minutes.

Return the bacon to the pot and add: onion, garlic, wine, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, bay leaves, sugar, all spice/cloves, paprika, and 2 cups of the beef broth.

Cover the pot and put in the oven at 275° for 3-4 hours.

(You can also put the ingredients in your slow cooker for 3-4 hours.)

After it has cooked all morning, it will look like this:

And the aroma is delectable!!!

Now remove the bay leaves and add the potatoes, carrots, and the remaining 2 cups of beef broth. By the way, if you're cooking this stew in the crock pot, you might not need to add as much broth. You can be the judge.

Cover and place back in the oven for another 3-4 hours.

Now, doesn't that look like the perfect soup for a chilly autumn evening? Be sure to serve it with a nice loaf of homemade bread!

What is your favorite way to celebrate this most autumnish of autumn months?