Boeuf à la Bourguignonne

Prepare the marinade by combining the celery, carrots, onion, thyme, bay leaf, cloves, red wine and meat into a large bowl. Stir to coat, cover and let sit in the refrigerator for several days. Stir occasionally over the period.

Preheat Oven to 325 degrees.

In a large dutch oven, cook bacon over medium until crispy. Remove to paper towels to drain.

Strain marinade reserving fluid. Remove meat and pat dry.

Sear meat in bacon grease in batches browning on both sides and set aside.

Add vegetables to bacon fat and saute till just caramelized.

Add flour and stir around. Return return meat to mixture and stir well.

Slowly add reserve marinade to meat and vegetables and scrape to deglaze.

Bring to boil for several minutes. Place in oven for 2 hours stirring half way through.

Meat should be fork tender, and sauce should thicken.

Drop pearl onions in boiling water for a few minutes to soften.

Saute mushrooms and onions in butter till mushrooms are soft.

Add mushrooms and onion mix to stew along with sugar. Thin stew with a bit of water if necessary, and heat on stove top to desired consistency.