Sideways Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients:

1 tbl olive oil

4 tbl butter

1/2 lb bacon, diced

2.5 lb large diced beef (sirloin, stew, chuck, etc.)

1/2 tbl SIDEWAYS MERLOT WINE SALT

1/4 tbl black pepper

2 carrots peeled and sliced diagonally (or bias cut)

1 yellow onion, sliced

1/4 cup minced garlic

2 cups red wine (I prefer a Pino Noir)

4 cups beef broth or stock

1 tbl tomato paste

1 tsp thyme, chopped

4 tbl flour

2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

2 tbl fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large soup or stock pot.

Add bacon, cooking long enough to brown the bacon and render the fat. Remove the bacon.

Sprinkle the diced beef with SIDEWAYS MERLOT WINE SALT and black pepper.

In batches brown the beef in the bacon fat, careful not to crowd the pan or you end up with gray color, not the brown we are looking for. Remove the beef.

Drop the heat to medium.

Add the onion, carrot, mushrooms, garlic, cooking until soft.

Add the cooked bacon and beef.

Coat mixture with flour, add wine.

Scrap the bottom of the pot to get all of the bits of fond (those help maximize flavor!)

Add tomato paste and beef broth/stock.

Season with thyme, SIDEWAYS MERLOT WINE SALT and black pepper.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cooking until beef is tender and soup is thick, stirring regularly. (Maybe 45 minutes to an hour)

Add fresh parsley and serve with your favorite crusty bread.