Manufacturing the finest bases, sauces, and desserts with the taste and aroma of made-from-scratch recipes.
35–40 Banquet Portions
Meat & Poultry Entrees / Classical French
In a large, heavy-bottomed, oven-safe stockpot or braising tilt skillet, brown 1 lb. julienned bacon lardons over medium heat until crispy. Remove cooked bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Pour off half of the rendered bacon fat, leaving the remaining fat in the pot for searing.
Heat the pot with remaining bacon fat over high heat. Add 10 lbs. of ½-inch cubed beef chuck in batches and sear on all sides until deeply caramelized and browned. Add 3 lbs. diced onions, 2 lbs. diced carrots, 1 lb. diced celery, 1 lb. sliced mushrooms, 2 tsp. chopped garlic, 3 bay leaves, ½ tsp. thyme, and 3 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley. Continue simmering over medium heat until onions turn translucent and soft.
Pour in 1 quart Burgundy red wine, scraping up all caramelized fond drippings from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a brisk boil and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes to reduce alcohol and concentrate acidity.
Return reserved crispy bacon and fat drippings to the pot. Add 1 Tbsp. RC Beef Base of your choice and 2 gallons prepared RC Hunter Sauce Mix. Mix thoroughly to submerge all ingredients. Cover tightly with a lid or heavy foil and transfer pot into a preheated 350°F oven. Braise, stirring occasionally, for 1½ to 2 hours until the beef chuck is fork-tender.
Remove from oven, discard bay leaves, and adjust seasoning with kosher salt if needed. Serve hot as a hearty stew or ladle generously over a bed of warm parsley buttered egg noodles.
Hunter Sauce Speed & Consistency: Classical French demi-glace reduction for 40 portions takes hours of reduction. Utilizing RC Hunter Sauce Mix delivers a velvety, mushroom-chasseur-style braising liquid that thickens consistently without breaking or thinning on steam tables.
Beef Base Umami Architecture: Dissolving RC Beef Base directly into the red wine reduction reinforces slow-roasted roasted beef notes throughout the large 10 lb. batch.
Overnight Holding Secret: Like all classic braises, Beef Bourguignonne tastes even better when prepared 24 hours in advance, allowing the wine, bacon, and mushroom flavors to mature and penetrate the beef fibers before reheating.
