MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

Title: Rich Beef Stew w/Bacon & Plums
Categories: Beef, Vegetables, Pork, Wine, Fruits
Yield: 8 Servings

3 1/2 lb Well-marbled beef chuck
- roast
1 tb Kosher salt
3 tb Olive oil
6 oz Thick sliced, center-cut
- applewood smoked bacon; in
- 1/2" pieces
1 md Butternut squash; peeled,
- seeded, in 1" pieces
2 tb Unsalted butter
Salt
2 c Diced yellow onions
1 Leek; white part only, split
- lengthwise cut across in
- slices
3 lg Cloves garlic; peeled, rough
- chopped
2 3/4 c Dry red wine (such as Pinot
- Noir)
1 1/2 c Chicken stock
1 (2") stick cinnamon; broken
2 Whole cloves
7 Whole black peppercorns
3 Fresh bay leaves
+=OR=+
1 Dried bay leaf)
1 tb Tomato paste
1/4 ts Dried thyme
5 Stems fresh parsley; leaves
- picked, chopped, stems
- reserved
1 c Pitted prunes

Trim and cut roast into 2" pieces. Sprinkle evenly with
the 1 Tbsp. kosher salt. Cover; chill overnight.

Set oven @ 450ºF/232ºC.

Line a 15" x 10" x 1" baking pan with a silicone baking
mat; set aside. Cook bacon in 1 Tbsp. hot oil over
medium-low heat until browned. Remove; drain on paper
towel, reserving 3 Tbsp. drippings. Place squash on
prepared pan. Add 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. bacon
drippings. Sprinkle salt; toss to coat. Roast 20 to 30
minutes or until tender and browned, stirring once. Cover
with waxed paper; set aside. Reduce oven to 275ºF/135ºC.

Add remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil to remaining 2 Tbsp.
bacon drippings in skillet; heat over medium-high heat.
Blot beef well with paper towels; add to skillet in
batches, being careful not to crowd the skillet. Brown
deeply on all sides. Remove; set aside.

Drain all but 1 tsp. fat from skillet. Add remaining 1
Tbsp. butter and onions to pan. Sprinkle with salt. Stir
over medium heat, scraping up browned bits from bottom of
pan. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until onions
just begin to soften. Stir in leek slices and garlic.
Sprinkle with salt. Cook 4 minutes more. Transfer to a
3-quart baking dish; set aside. Pour wine into skillet.
Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered,
until reduced by half.

Place beef and bacon over onions. Pour reduced wine over.
Add stock to almost cover. Using kitchen string, tie
cinnamon, cloves, and peppercorns in a piece of
cheesecloth; tuck into beef mixture. Add bay leaves.
Dollop tomato paste around beef mixture. Sprinkle with
thyme. Tie together parsley stems and inner leek piece;
add to beef mixture. Place parchment paper over dish. Top
with a triple layer of heavy foil. Seal tightly. Place on
rimmed baking sheet. Bake 2 hours. Uncover; add prunes.
Cover; bake 45 minutes to an hour more or until meat is
easily pierced with a knife. Uncover; skim fat. Remove
cheesecloth bag and parsley stems; discard. Increase oven
to 350ºF/175ºC. Add butternut squash. Bake uncovered,
20 minutes, basting once or twice. To serve, sprinkle
with parsley leaves.

Makes 8 servings.

Better Homes & Gardens | October 2016

MM Format by Dave Drum - 25 October 2016

Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives

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