This wine-enriched stew is a French country classic. While typically made with beef, we’ve incorporated bison. North Carolina is home to one of the country’s largest bison farms, Dr. King’s Carolina Bison, whose animals are free range, naturally raised on native grasses, and humanely handled. But if you can’t find bison, beef chuck also works for this recipe. It’s best to start the project a day ahead of time so it can marinate overnight and then cook slowly to eke out every bit of flavor from the ingredients. We suggest serving baby boiled potatoes with parsley on the side, as well as a crusty baguette.

Serves 4-6

2 pounds bison chuck, cut in 2” cubes 

20 fresh pearl onions 

½ pound button mushrooms 

1/4 cup olive oil, divided in half 

½ pound thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch bits 

4 teaspoons all-purpose flour 

½ cup Burgundy or any deep red wine 

1 cup vegetable broth 

Salt & pepper 

Marinade: 

2¾ cups Burgundy or any deep red wine 

1 yellow onion, sliced 

1 carrot, sliced 

1 clove garlic, crushed 

1 bouquet garni: thyme and parsley sprigs, fresh bay leaf tied together with kitchen twine 

6 black peppercorns 

2 cloves 

Good pinch salt 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

Combine all ingredients for marinade in a glass or ceramic bowl and add the bison. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate overnight. 

Next day, bring a small pot of water to a boil and drop in the onions, let them blanch for one minute, and remove. Cut the stems and press on the sides to spit out the onions. Cut the mushrooms into quarters. 

Remove the meat from the marinade. Drain the marinade, keeping the liquid and the onion and carrot, but disposing of the rest. Dry the meat with a paper towel. 

In a heavy pan (we love cast iron), add half the olive oil and brown the bison on each side, lift out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the bacon pieces to the pan and saute until brown but not crisp. Lift out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the pearl onions and do the same. Finally, do the same with the mushrooms. Put the bacon, onions, and mushrooms in the fridge. 

If there’s too much oil left in the pan, you can drain some of it and then return it to the heat. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scrap – ing up any caramelized bits from the pan. Remove from heat and set aside. 

In a heavy Dutch oven-style pot, add the remaining olive oil, along with the onions and carrots from the marinade. Cook slowly until soft, then add the flour and cook, stirring, until it becomes a rich brown color. 

Add the marinade liquid, the wine, and the broth, and whisk until it becomes glossy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the bison, cover tightly and simmer on low or place in the oven at 300 ° F for 3-4 hours, until the meat is tender. 

Add the cooked bacon, pearl onions, and mushrooms and allow them to reheat in the stew. Ready to serve! And if you want to make it ahead of time, it is even better the next day!