Description
Classic French Beef Bourguignon is a rich, hearty stew made with tender beef chuck, thick-cut bacon, aromatic vegetables, and a deep Burgundy wine sauce. Slow cooked to perfection in the oven, this traditional dish is finished with sautéed pearl onions and mushrooms, making it a comforting meal especially ideal for cozy dinners. Best enjoyed reheated the next day to allow flavors to meld beautifully.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Stew
- 1/2 pound thick cut bacon cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 pounds beef chuck trimmed of fat and cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 large white onion chopped
- 2 large carrots cut into 2 inch chunks
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup flour (65g)
- 8 sprigs thyme tied together
- 3 cups Burgundy wine or other dry red wine (720g)
- 2 large bay leaves
- 3 cups low sodium beef broth or stock (720g)
- 1/4 cup tomato paste (60g)
- Salt and pepper to taste
For Finishing
- 4 tablespoons butter (56g)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (30g)
- 16 pearl onions
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms quartered (454g)
- 3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and set the rack in the middle level to accommodate a large Dutch oven with a lid.
- Cook Bacon: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the bacon and cook until most fat has rendered, about 7-10 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels.
- Prepare and Sear Beef: Pat beef cubes dry, season with salt and pepper, then toss with flour, shaking off excess while reserving extra flour. Sear beef in batches until well browned on all sides. Set browned beef aside on a plate.
- Cook Vegetables: Remove excess fat from the pot leaving about 1/4 cup fat. Add onions and cook 3-5 minutes until softening, then add carrots and cook 5-7 minutes until lightly colored.
- Add Garlic and Tomato Paste: Stir in garlic and cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add tomato paste and cook another 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add a bit of water if it begins to burn to lower temperature.
- Incorporate Flour: Stir all remaining flour into the pot and cook about 2 minutes until flour is no longer white.
- Add Liquids and Seasonings: Gradually whisk in wine and beef broth, scraping bottom to loosen browned bits. Add beef, bacon, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Turn off heat.
- Oven Braise: Cover pot and place in oven to cook 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours until beef is very tender. At 90 minutes, check sauce; if too thick or sticking, add 1/2 cup water and stir, then continue cooking.
- Finish and Season: Remove pot from oven, discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs, taste and adjust salt and pepper. Skim excess fat from sauce surface.
- Reduce Sauce if Needed: If sauce is too thin, strain ingredients into a pot, boil sauce over medium-high heat until it thickly coats back of spoon, then return meat and vegetables to sauce and keep covered.
- Cook Pearl Onions: Heat olive oil in large pan over medium-high heat. Add pearl onions and cook 4-5 minutes until tender. Remove onions to a foil-covered plate.
- Cook Mushrooms: In same pan, cook mushrooms 5-8 minutes until browned and water evaporates. Add butter and cook 2-3 minutes until mushrooms are glossy.
- Combine Onions and Mushrooms: Return pearl onions to pan, toss to coat, remove from heat, season with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme leaves.
- Add Parsley and Serve: Stir minced parsley into the stew. Either mix mushrooms and onions into the pot before serving or plate separately so everyone gets some. Serve with mashed potatoes or crusty bread.
Notes
- For best flavor, refrigerate the stew overnight to let flavors develop. Reheat gently on stovetop before serving.
- Homemade beef stock is preferred but high-quality beef base is a suitable substitute. Adjust salt accordingly.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator up to 3 days and freeze well for up to 6 months.
- If the sauce is too thick after reheating, add a splash of water to loosen it.
- Using a Dutch oven is ideal for even cooking and braising in the oven.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 625 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 21 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 50 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
