Coq au Vin
Steph Avalos-Bock
Photo by Steph Avalos-Bock
- Serves
- 4-6
Julia Child's famous recipe begins in the best way possible: sautéing bacon in a generous amount of butter (and it only gets better from there). My version (created by reading many versions and closely following none of them) is surprisingly easy for such a showstopper. It does take some time, so gather friends and extra wine and enjoy the aromas!
(Note: You'll notice this doesn't require any oven time, and doesn't concern itself with taking the meat out before boiling since the excess of liquid makes it super tender regardless. It also doesn't involve pouring out any bacon fat because... are you crazy? However, this version does lack the pearl onions and mushrooms, which *are* important (and easy). I'll try to add them soon!)
(Note: The picture is most of the way through making boeuf bourguignon, which is the same thing with beef. Enjoy!)
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon butter, divided
- 2-3 pieces of bacon
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1-2 pound chicken, cut into small bite-sized pieces
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 bottle red wine (traditionally Burgundy or Côtes du Rhône, but it's more important to use something you like)
- 2 cup beef broth (Better than Bouillon is fantastic here)
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- salt + pepper
- 3 tablespoon flour
Featured Video
Directions
- Step 1
In a large pot, sauté that bacon in 2 tablespoons butter! When it's crispy, chop it and set it aside.
- Step 2
Sauté the garlic, onions, and carrots for a few minutes, until softened but not mushy.
- Step 3
Add the chicken, and cook, stirring frequently, until cooked on the outside.
- Step 4
Add bacon, tomato paste, red wine, beef broth, thyme, and bay leaf, and mix well. Cook on fairly high heat until sauce is reduced, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Notice how the flavors come together as it cooks, and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Step 5
Mix the other 2 tablespoons of butter into the flour, and then whisk into the sauce. Cook for another 5-10 minutes to further thicken the sauce, until it's to your liking,
- Step 6
Serve with crispy bread and your favorite red wine!