Beef Daube, the People’s Bourguignon

We have been having a debate in this household about the difference between Beef Daube and Beef Bourguignon. The differences didn’t seem so obvious to us. We were wondering, is it really the same dish? I decided to go sleuthing. In reality they are both beef stews but each with their own twists of ingredients and flavor.

At first look I saw that Beef Bourguignon is a stew that originates from Burgundy, France. The Beef Daube is also from France but from another region, Provence. Some other elements these beef stews have in common are red wine, beef broth, onion, tomato and mushrooms. Each is typically served over egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Even in these basic ingredients, however, they vary. For the Beef Bourguignon the recipes tend to use tomato paste whereas the Beef Daube uses whole crushed tomatoes. Even the mushrooms can be different. The Daube tends to only use porcini mushrooms. And the Bourguignon adds pearled onions to the stew.

Where they further differ is in these other ingredients. Beef Bourguignon typically has bacon and coats the beef in flour before braising it, which makes a thicker sauce in the end. The Beef Daube doesn’t add flour or bacon but instead can have olives and orange rind.

Bottom line, both recipes are delicious. The difference is in the flavor and calories. Because of the bacon and flour, the Beef Bourguignon tends to be richer and higher in calories. The Beef Daube is not quite as thick and has a brighter taste due to the orange rind and olives.

For weeknights and family dinners I tend to go with the Beef Daube. Hence we call it the People’s Bourguignon. Here is my own recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 package dried porcini mushrooms
• ½ cup boiling water
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 10 cloves of garlic, crushed (equals 1 head of garlic)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• Cooking Spray, olive oil flavored
• 1 boneless chuck roast (2 pounds), cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
• 1 cup red wine
• 3 medium carrots, chopped
• ½ cup low-sodium beef broth
• 2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
• Pinch of ground clove
• 1 teaspoon orange rind
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomato
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups cooked wide egg noodles (@ 4 cups uncooked)

Directions

1. Place dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl, Pour boiling water to cover. Let stand 15 – 20 minutes until they are softened and ready to chop. Once chopped, place in slow cooker.
2. Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet. Place the garlic and the onion in the skillet to brown. Cook about 3-5 minutes until the garlic and onion become fragrant.  Remove mixture from skillet and place in the slow cooker.
3. Place the skillet back on the stovetop, spray with olive oil flavored cooking spray. Sprinkle beef with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Place beef in skillet. Brown on all sides. Once browned, place the beef in the slow cooker.
4. Place red wine in the skillet, bring to a boil and scrape the sides to loosen any remaining ingredients. Pour the wine into the slow cooker.
5. Add all remaining ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 1 hour.
6. Change temperature to“low” and cook for 6 hours.
7. Discard bay leaf and serve over noodles.
   

 Nutritional Information

Serves: 6. Serving size: ¾ cup stew; ½ cup noodles. Calories: 366.
 
To make it a meal: add 1 whole wheat roll (110 cal) and a tossed green salad with Sheila’s Light Vinaigrette (30 cal). Total calorie count: 506.

 

 

Re-posted from Sheila's Blog on TheEpochTimes.com.