The Prep Step That's Crucial For A Successful Beef Bourguignon - Tasting Table

"Smearing a tomato-pasted finger across the page of the cookbook, trying to follow the instructions as the hot oil shimmers in the pan, ready for the onion you don't have brunoised. Quick! Turn off the heat, grab a (hopefully) sharp knife, (carefully) rush through the prep, turn the burner's flame back on, and hope nothing scorched or became soggy in the interim."

"This means the aromatics are chopped, the spices are measured, and all is ready to go and within reach. Once the flame of the stove gets turned on, timing is unforgiving and ingredients need to hit the heat, usually in quick succession. There isn't time built in to wash, peel, and measure. That's the entire purpose of the magical system of mise en place. The phrase translates to "everything in its place," but in practice, it means sequencing your effort."

Beef bourguignon requires precise sequencing and benefits greatly from mise en place to avoid timing failures and burnt or soggy components. Mise en place translates to "everything in its place" and means completing slow, interruptible prep—chopping aromatics, measuring spices, and readying ingredients—before turning on the heat. Many layered recipes assume prep is done because once the flame is on, ingredients must hit the pan in quick succession and timing is unforgiving. Without prep, cooks can become "in the weeds," rushing tasks and compromising texture and flavor. Organizing work ahead reduces stress, prevents wasted effort, and produces more consistent results.

Read at Tasting Table