My beef bourginion *sp?! doesn't taste quite right, ppl for dinner tonight, help!

[AvadaKedavra]

I've made it in the exact same way as I do beef in ale, but with red wine in place of the beer but it's lacking... something... depth? Whatever it just doesn't taste all rich and scrummy like I would expect - what can I do to enrich it? any ideas anyone?

I have about 2 hours before people are coming!

Keep it on a gentle simmer (or lowish oven heat) for those 2 hours - sometimes just extra time will add the depth you need, plus it will reduce a bit which helps. If you have a sprig of rosemary to hand, lob that in.

What else have you put in it?

bay leaves, thyme, garlic.

Or chopped browned bacon?

And agree about cooking it a bit more.

No bacon and no time to get any - yy to herbs and garlic already in there, onions and mushrooms. it's simmering in the slowcooker, has been on for hourssssss which is why am surprised it's not tasting richer, argh!

It's not just a people over for tea thing either, it's friend's birthday and this is what they chose to have when i said it's your birthday so your choice

Fingers crossed time is all it needs!

Worcestershire?
Salt?
Tom puree?

One of these may help

Have you seasoned it properly?

Maybe try a squeeze of lemon juice, it can really open up the flavours.

Can't beat Worcestershire Sauce IMO. Splat some of that in.

Yes seasoned - have got lemon juice and tomato puree and lea n perrins to hand - should I give it another hour n then see if it still needs ??
and add one/all/any of those in?

pmsl CalamityKate

If you have an anchovy that could be good for a bit of umami

Actually, if anyone has a recipe for a really rich Beef Stew/Bourgignon type thing, I'd be really grateful.

I've made various kinds, but they all end up tasting more or less the same, regardless of content. I dream of making the sort of thick, dark, rich casserole you'd get in a restaurant, but mine just end up tasting of Oxo cube.

Do you think a splodge of marmite would work for umami? Am not posh and don't keep anchovies in

Or some dark chocolate??

Marmite is good, as long as it can take some more salt :)

CHOCOLATE???

Bouquet garni

Kate Julia Child's beef bourguignon is by far the best I have ever made and eaten. Takes quite a long time and is fiddlier than your average beef stew but is utterly utterly delicious.

I highly recommend the film Julia and Julia which inspired me to make it.

Oooh thanks Slubber!

Julie and Julia. Has Meryl Streep in.

Op don't bugger about with it too much, I would let it alone and let time do the work and put s&p on the table

Slubber that recipe looks delicious but seems a bit time consuming... are there any bits where a person might be able to take the odd shortcut, do you think?

For instance, the cooking of the bacon in water, then frying it... would it really taste different if you just did the frying bit?

And could it be done in a slow cooker? If so, from what stage?

If it really is lacking in flavour I would chuck a couple of spoonfuls of Bisto Best beef gravy in. I tend to do this in stew emergencies

I think the water then sauté it is to remove some of the salt. I have to say I ignore that bit and use pancetta but hold off on the seasoning until the end.

Some bits can't be rushed though. So the drying the meat first before you brown a few chunks as a time is important. As is taking time to fry the onions in butter, a few at a time so they don't just steam. Julia Child made me realise I had been frying my mushrooms all wrong all my life.

The taking the meat out and then reducing the sauce separately also is a faff but you get a perfectly thickened sauce.

First time I did it I muttered 'oh ffs' constantly under my breath, but the finished result, ungg mwmph cor bloody fabulous.

Fry the mushrooms the mushrooms goddamit

Kate re slow cooker yy you can do it in there no problem, from the put it all in the oven stage, you need to do the other bits separately in a frying pan first though.

Bacon and little mushrooms make all the difference as does a full bodied red wine. really cooking out the flour roux thickener helps too.

Waitrose does this great silver tubed umami paste.

Slowcookers can make the sauce a bit thin.

I sometimes add a couple of discs of oxtail to my beef stews because they cook down into a thick jammy stick sauce.