John Torode's beef bourguignon

There are certain recipes that shouldn't be messed with and this is one of them, so now dry January is officially over, why not give this French classic a try.

John Torode’s in the kitchen with a master class in the classic beef & red wine stew. What’s more - he promises this dish will feed the family for days - with not one dish, but five.

It’s rich, warming and perfect for a Thursday night if you bung it all in the slow cooker now, it’ll be ready by dinnertime - this is food worth staying in for!

Serves: 4 - 6

Ingredients

60mls vegetable oil 1kg large diced shin beef or stewing steak2 bay leaves 1 large sprig of thyme 50grs flour 1 large onion sliced2 cloves of garlic squashed and peeled 1 bottle Burgundy or light cheap red wine500ml of beef stock or water and a stock cube 2 small packets diced Pancetta (130g each)300g small shallots cut into half if big 200g button mushrooms 20mls olive oil

Method

• Heat your oven to 140C. Take a large cast iron or heavy based casserole with a lid.In a bowl drop in the meat with the herbs and the flour, give a big season with pepper and a little salt.

• Heat over a medium flame, add the oil , when hot add the meat and leave to cook. Colour equals flavour so let it brown and turn with a spatula, cook and colour.

• When the meat has lots of colour, add the onions and cook to soften and take up all the flavour. Put the meat back in and add the garlic, give a stir to cook a little.

• Now add the wine and really scrape the bottom, all the juice from the bottom is really important for flavour but also so the pot does not burn

• Add the stock, stir and check the bottom and then bring to the boil, drop on the lid and put on the oven and leave for two hours

• In the meantime, place the oil and pancetta in a cold pan and heat, the bacon will start to soften, add the shallots and cook for a couple of minutes, add the mushrooms, and stir then take from the heat.

• After two hours, take the bourguignon from the oven, open and drop in the bacon mushroom mix and give a stir, put back in the oven for another hour