Dijon and Cognac Beef Stew
Updated Sept. 11, 2024
- Total Time
- About 3 hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ¼pound salt pork, diced
- 1large onion, finely diced
- 3shallots, chopped
- 2 to 4tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2pounds beef chuck, in 1-inch cubes
- 2tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ½cup Cognac
- 2cups beef stock
- ½cup Dijon mustard
- 4tablespoons Pommery mustard or other whole-grain Dijon mustard
- 4large carrots, peeled and cut into half-moon slices
- ½pound mushrooms, stemmed, cleaned and quartered
- ¼cup red wine
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
542 calories; 30 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 39 grams protein; 1168 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Place salt pork in a Dutch oven over low heat, and cook until fat is rendered. Remove solid pieces with a slotted spoon, and discard. Raise heat, and add onion and shallots. Cook until softened but not browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a large bowl.
- Step 2
If necessary, add 2 tablespoons butter to the pot to augment fat. Dust beef cubes with flour, and season with salt and pepper. Shake off excess flour, and place half the cubes in the pot. Cook over medium-high heat until well browned, almost crusty, on all sides, then transfer to a bowl with onions. Repeat with remaining beef.
- Step 3
Add Cognac to the empty pot, and cook, stirring, until the bottom is deglazed and the crust comes loose. Add stock, Dijon mustard and 1 tablespoon Pommery mustard. Whisk to blend, then return meat and onion mixture to pot. Lower heat, partly cover, and simmer gently until meat is very tender, about 1½ hours.
- Step 4
Add carrots, and continue simmering for 30 minutes, or until slices are tender. As they cook, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium-high, and sauté mushrooms until browned.
- Step 5
Stir mushrooms into stew along with remaining mustard and red wine. Simmer 5 minutes, then taste, and adjust seasoning. Serve hot.
- For a slow-cooker version, render the salt pork in a large sauté pan, then sear the flour-dusted beef cubes in the fat. While the beef is browning, add onions, shallots, carrots, mushrooms and red wine to the slow cooker, along with the browned beef. Add Cognac to the empty pan, and deglaze. Add 1 cup stock (instead of 2), Dijon mustard and 1 tablespoon Pommery mustard. Transfer to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons Pommery mustard and warm through before serving.
Private Notes
Comments
I used most of this recipe with much less mustard (family preference) and substituted bacon for the salt pork. Then I took a few tips from the NYT recipe for Auberge de la Madone's beef stew. I marinated the beef for a short time in red wine with fresh thyme, Rosemary, bay leaf, whole cloves and peppercorns. When the stew began to simmer I added the zest and juice of a small orange. All the flavors popped in the finished product. Excellent.
"Made exactly as instructed..."
This is, IMO, the key to good cooking. The first time I make something, I follow the recipe exactly. Once I know how the recipe is supposed to turn out, I can make adjustments. That said, I'm going to add the carrots sooner. ;-)
I've made this a couple of times, and it's great. HOWEVER, IMHO there is no need to spend $25 on a crock of Pommery mustard. It's very good mustard, of course, but really no better than most domestic whole-grain mustards that cost a buck or two in any supermarket. While some may prefer it in a blind tasting of mustards, any discernible difference is lost entirely in the stew.
Interesting recipe. I didn’t have salt pork and used pancetta but couldn’t tell what this contributed or what salt pork would have added. I made a mistake and put all the mustard in at once. I liked the mustard flavor. I added juice from an entire lemon, which helped balance the heavy, meatiness of the dish. Overall, the texture is a little mushy for my taste. The carrots helped a bit (adding them late and not overcooking as per the recipe is the key).
Great recipe! Perhaps a bit too much mustard at the end. I would perhaps replace the final mustard with more red wine.
I think I might be more sensitive to mustard than most. The amount of mustard here simply overwhelms everything else. For me it was hard to eat due to the mustard. Additionally I agree with others who say the carrots need another 30 minutes, and the stew will begin to dry out if the lid is left ajar for the whole braise. I ended up adding maybe another half cup of stock. I wouldn’t make this again without serious changes.