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France, Europe · Beef Bourguignon

Bourguignon Dip Melt

Red wine-braised shredded beef and two cheeses toasted crisp in sourdough, served with a cup of rich reduced braising jus for dunking: the café sandwich of the moment.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time2 h 15 min
DifficultyMedium
About servingsMost of the alcohol cooks off during the long simmer, but a little may remain.

Method

  1. Cut the beef into 2 cm cubes so it braises faster, pat dry and season with salt and pepper. Thinly slice the onion and mushrooms and mince the garlic.

    Add in this stepBeef chuck 240 gSalt to tasteBlack pepper to taste

  2. Heat the oil in a 20 cm heavy pot over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon until it starts to crisp, then add the beef and brown it for in total, turning, until deep brown on all sides. For 3–4 servings, brown the beef in two batches.

    Add in this stepNeutral oil 1 tbspSmoked bacon, cut into thin strips 40 g

    medium-high heat

  3. Turn down to medium heat, add the onion and mushrooms and cook for , until the onion is soft and the water from the mushrooms has evaporated. Add the garlic, sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute.

    Add in this stepOnion 1Button mushrooms 80 gGarlic cloves 1Plain flour 1 tbsp

    medium heat

  4. Pour in the wine and stock, add the thyme and bring to a boil over high heat for , scraping the bottom. Cover, turn down to low heat and simmer for , stirring now and then, until the beef shreds easily with a fork.

    Add in this stepDry red wine 250 mlBeef stock 250 mlFresh thyme sprigs 2

    high heat→low heat

  5. Lift the beef, onions and mushrooms out with a slotted spoon, discard the thyme and shred the beef with two forks; the filling should be moist but not dripping. Boil the liquid left in the pot over high heat for into a rich dipping jus, about one small cup per sandwich. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

    Add in this stepSalt to tasteBlack pepper to taste

    high heat

  6. Butter one side of each bread slice and spread mustard on the other. On the mustard side, layer gruyère, a generous mound of filling, then mozzarella, and close with a second slice, buttered side out. Toast in a frying pan over medium-low heat in 1 batch(es), two sandwiches at a time, in total, pressing with a spatula and flipping halfway, until both sides are deep golden and the cheese has melted. Gentle heat lets the cheese melt before the bread burns.

    Add in this stepSourdough or country bread slices (1.5 cm thick) 4Butter, softened 20 gDijon mustard 2 tspGruyère or Comté, grated 60 gMozzarella, grated 40 g

    medium-low heat

  7. Cut each sandwich in half diagonally and serve straight away with a small cup of hot jus for dunking. Dip, bite, repeat.

Cook's tip

Leftover beef bourguignon makes this almost instant: shred the meat, reduce the sauce and start at step 6. If the filling is too wet, drain it in a sieve first or the bread will turn soggy. For an extra-crisp crust, spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the outside instead of butter.

Cooking it at camp

Make the filling and jus at home and pack them in separate sealed containers in the cooler. At camp, toast the sandwiches in a cast-iron pan or a sandwich iron over embers or a low burner, and warm the jus in a small pot. Embers are fierce, so stay at the edge of the fire and flip often.