Description
Classic French Beef Bourguignon is a rich and hearty stew made with tender beef chuck, bacon, mushrooms, pearl onions, and slow-cooked in Burgundy wine with aromatic herbs. Perfectly braised in a Dutch oven, this dish develops deep, concentrated flavors that taste even better the next day. Serve it with mashed potatoes or crusty bread for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the stew
- 1/2 pound bacon thick cut, 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
- 8 sprigs thyme, tied together
- 3 cups Burgundy wine or other dry red wine
- 2 large bay leaves
- 3 cups low sodium beef broth or stock
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
For finishing
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 16 pearl onions
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and position the rack in the middle level so there's enough room for a large Dutch oven with a lid.
- Cook Bacon: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the bacon pieces. Cook them until most of the fat has rendered out, approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Prepare and Sear Beef: Pat the beef cubes very dry, season with salt and pepper, then toss them with the flour, shaking off any excess flour. In batches if needed, sear the beef cubes in the Dutch oven until well browned on all sides. Remove and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté Vegetables: Remove most excess bacon and beef fat from the pot but leave about a quarter cup. Add the chopped onions and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the carrots and continue cooking for about 5 to 7 minutes until they start to color.
- Add Garlic and Tomato Paste: Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add a little water if the paste starts to burn to lower the temperature.
- Add Flour: Stir in the remaining flour and cook until it loses its white color, about 2 minutes, ensuring it's well incorporated to help thicken the sauce.
- Deglaze and Combine Ingredients: Slowly add the wine and beef broth while whisking to avoid lumps. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen all browned bits. Return the seared beef and bacon to the pot, add the tied thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Turn off the heat.
- Braise in Oven: Cover with a lid and place the pot in the oven. Cook for 3 hours until the beef is very tender. At the 90-minute mark, check the sauce; if too thick and sticking, add 1/2 cup water and stir before returning to the oven.
- Adjust Sauce and Remove Herbs: When done, remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs, and season with salt and pepper after tasting. Skim any visible fat off the surface or blot with paper towels.
- Thicken Sauce if Needed: If the sauce is too thin, strain the liquid into a separate pot and simmer over medium-high heat until it thickens to coat the back of a spoon. Then recombine with the solids in the Dutch oven, keeping it covered.
- Cook Pearl Onions: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add pearl onions and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm.
- Cook Mushrooms and Finish: In the same pan, add mushrooms and cook until they release their water and begin browning, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add butter and cook until mushrooms are glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Return pearl onions to the pan, toss to coat, then season with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme leaves. Turn off heat.
- Serve: Stir minced parsley into the stew. Serve the mushrooms and pearl onions mixed into the stew or plated separately. Pair with mashed potatoes or crusty bread. For best flavor, refrigerate overnight and reheat before serving.
Notes
- Letting the stew cool and refrigerating overnight enhances the flavors, making the dish taste even better the next day.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium to medium-low heat; add water if the sauce thickens too much.
- Homemade beef stock is preferred, but quality beef base is superior to most boxed stocks.
- Low sodium beef base can be salty, so adjust salt and pepper seasoning after cooking and reduction.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 6 months.
- Serve with mashed potatoes or crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
