Beef Bourguignon

I have several versions of this French dish (stew) but this is one of the best if not the best I have used. It stands alone but as with most of my cooking I add things that have available. This recipe should be made a day or two ahead to allow  This recipe serves 24

Ingredients

• 10 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2" pieces Beef, chuck, blade roast, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/2" fat, prime, cooked, braised
• 1 1/2 cups flour Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, enriched, unbleached
• 4 tsp salt Salt, table
• 1 tsp pepper Spices, pepper, black
• 1/2 cup butter Butter, without salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil Oil, olive, salad or cooking
• 3/4 cup cognac or brandy, warmed
• 1 lb bacon, diced ( I use salt pork if I can find it. Do not use a maple flavoured bacon)
• 6-8 cloves garlic, mashed
• 8 med-large carrots, coarsely chopped
• 4 leeks, coarsely chopped Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw
• 4 large yellow onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley Parsley, raw
• 3-4 bay leaves ( or 1 per casserole)
• 1 1/2 tsp thyme (I use more) Spices, thyme, ground
• 4 Tbs tomato paste Tomato products, canned, paste, with salt added
• 7 cups burgundy wine Alcoholic beverage, wine, table, red
• 6 cups beef broth or more Soup, beef broth or bouillon canned, ready-to-serve
• salt and pepper Peppers, sweet, red, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt
• 60 small white onions, preferably 1" in diameter ( use frozen pearls if I can get them)
• 1/2 cup butter Butter, without salt
• 2 Tbs sugar Sugars, granulated
• 3 lbs button mushrooms ( I like Brown Cremeni)
• 1/2 cup butter Butter, without salt
• Juice of 1 lemons Lemon juice, raw
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley Parsley, raw
• Additional salt, pepper maybe needed so taste

Method

[tips]