Peju's Beef Bourguignon

1 pound thick cut bacon or pancetta
4 pounds boneless chuck stew meat (or your favorite cut for stewing)
4 cups mushrooms, sliced (Choose your favorite mushroom. Any will do.)
1/4 cup butter
2 white onions, medium dice
1 quart beef stock
1 bottle of your favorite Peju red wine (2/3 for the stew, 1/3 for you!)
salt and pepper to taste

Equipment:

1 large skillet

1 medium skillet

1 oven-proof casserole

Slotted spoon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut the bacon into small pieces.
3. Cook all of the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until done (crispy).
4. Remove bacon from skillet with slotted spoon and put in the casserole aside.
5. Sear/brown the beef in the bacon fat, until cooked through, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper while it cooks. Remove with slotted spoon and add to casserole aside with the bacon.
6. Sauté mushrooms in the skillet with the remaining bacon and beef fat in the skillet. At the same time in a different skillet, sauté the onion in butter until clear.
7. Add onion and mushrooms to casserole and cover with equal parts of stock and wine.
8. Cover casserole with lid and place in oven for one hour.
9. Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for two more hours.
10. Remove from oven. Shred beef to desired consistency and return shredded beef to stock.

After initial cooking, this can be placed in crock pot and left to stew all day.

This dish can be served as a stew or over your favorite starch.

*  It is important to cook only with wine you like to drink. Fifty/Fifty makes this a truly superlative stew.