Slow-cooker boeuf bourguignon joint

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds / 700 grams beef joint (brisket, topside or similar)
• 4 ounces / 113 grams bacon
• 12 shallots or baby onions
• 2 large carrots
• 2 ribs celery
• 5 ounces / 150 grams button mushrooms
• 1 cup /240 ml pinot noir or other red wine
• 1 cup / 240 ml beef stock (you can make it with a stock cube)
• 2 tablespoons tomato puree
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 1 tablespoon cornflour/cornstarch (optional)
• 2 tablespoons plain all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic granules

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Preparation ---

2. 2

   Peel the carrots and shallots (or onions). Cut the carrots into one-inch chunks. If your onions are quite large, cut them in half or quarters.

3. 3

   Wash the celery and cut it into one-inch pieces.

4. 4

   Cut the bacon into approximately one-inch pieces.

5. 5

   Mix the garlic granules, salt and pepper into the flour.

6. 6

   Dissolve the stock cube in one cup of boiling water and mix in the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce

7. 7

   --- Beef bourguignon ---

8. 8

   Coat the beef well with the seasoned flour, taking care to cover the entire joint.

9. 9

   Heat two tablespoons of sunflower oil in a frying pan and sear the beef on all sides on a medium-high heat until it has browned all over.Transfer the browned meat to the slow-cooker.

10. 10

    Add the chopped bacon to the same frying pan and stir it over a medium heat until it has browned.Add it to the beef in the slow-cooker.

11. 11

    Arrange the vegetables around the meat.Pour over the prepared stock and the red wine, and place the herbs on top.

12. 12

    Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours until the meat is tender.You can also cook this dish on high for 4 to 5 hours.Once the dish has coked, remove the sprigs of thyme.

13. 13

    Remove the meat to a serving dish, cover lightly with tinfoil and leave to rest.

14. 14

    --- Make the gravy ---

15. 15

    Remove most of the vegetables to a serving dish and keep warm.

16. 16

    Blend the gravy with a stick blender (or immersion blender) until it is smooth. If you don't have a blender, pour the gravy into a metal sieve and press the vegetables through the sieve with the back of a spoon.

17. 17

    If necessary, thicken the gravy with a tablespoon of cornflour/cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water. Stir it into the gravy in the slow-cooker (set on high) until the gravy thickens.