Traditional Coq au Vin is a centuries old dish and a staple in French cuisine. It's an incredibly hearty and comforting dish built with a bit of time and layer upon layer of flavor.

The foundational ingredients are all browned in batches first, then red wine and seasoned broth are added while scraping up that flavorful fond (the browned bits at the bottom of the pan), then it's all slowly braised over a low heat until everything is tender and infused with rich flavor. From there the sauce is thickened with a roux (flour and butter mixture), and the bacon is added back at the end to maintain its crispness.

It's such a memorable dish with full bodied flavor. There's a reason it's become a world renowned dish!

Serve it with one of the many options listed below. I would say you can never go wrong with mashed potatoes to complement its rustic, homestyle goodness.

What is Beef Bourguignon?

Beef Bourguignon (which is pronounced beef boar-gin-yaan) is a signature French stew made up chunks of rich beef braised in a deeply flavored red wine based sauce, along with aromatic vegetables such as pearl onions and browned mushrooms. Often times it includes another rich meat such as pork (bacon!), and it also includes plenty of herbs for complementary fresh flavor.

It is a humble, rustic style dish yet somehow at the same time if seems luxurious with such sophisticated flavor. It's creates a main dish worthy of a holiday celebration!

Wondering what to serve with Beef Bourguignon? It's best paired with mashed potatoes or a hearty artisan bread because there's so much of that complex gravy-like sauce to be soaked up by pairing with something so appropriately fitting.

Watch the Recipe!

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Dutch Oven Beef Stew

An incredibly delicious traditional beef stew that's likely even better than you remember your family making growing up!

It's made with tender bite size pieces of beef, creamy potatoes, nutritious carrots, and a rich and savory red wine infused broth.

This easy beef stew follows a straightforward prep and finishes with that classic old fashioned flavor.

Beef and onions are browned on the stovetop (tip: nicely browned beef is key to the complex depth of flavor here). Then the liquids and herbs are added and the stew and it's cooked in the oven. Partway through the remaining vegetables are added so they don't end up mushy, and then it's baked once more until everything is tender.

You'll appreciate this mostly hands off version that doesn't need constant tending to on the stovetop, and how the even encircling heat surrounding the pot from the oven ensures a more consistent end result.

Truly it's a recipe to enjoy year round but one that's especially fitting for cool crisp autumn days and blustery breezy winter days. It's a homestyle, soul warming dish that is certain to be a highlight of a long day!

This is how you do chilly day dinners!

The Best Shepherd's Pie Recipe

I made shepherd's pie (AKA Cottage Pie) FIVE times this week to perfect it and I'd have to say I don't know that it could get any better! This has honestly got to be the coziest meal-in-one out there. And while it may not be the fastest easiest dinner it's worth every minute of prep and patience!

Hearty ground beef is browned and seasoned with aromatics including fresh veggies and herbs, then red wine and beef broth are added and it's simmered and reduced to a light gravy. And then comes my favorite part - its topped and finished with the most heavenly mashed potatoes!

Broiled vs. Baking

One thing I found it testing that there was no point in baking the layered pie at high temperatures up to 30 minutes, rather a quick broil kept the potatoes from drying out and the beef filling from scorching and getting tough.

Both the filling and potatoes are freshly cooked and hot so this method only made sense, plus it's faster this way.

It's also nice to bake the pie in the same pan the filling is cooked in rather than transferring to a baking dish, this way you save cleaning up one extra pan.

A Comfort Food Classic!

You'll love that this is just old fashioned, cast iron cooked, classic comfort food that reminds you of home.

If you like shepherd's pie then don't hesitate to try this recipe! You'll learn all the tips and tricks to perfecting it and it's likely to become a new family favorite!