This easy Beef Bourguignon recipe takes only fifteen minutes of prep time and will make your kitchen smell delicious! Don’t miss this elegant, upgraded beef stew recipe, made even more famous by Julia Child herself.
Why You’ll Love this Beef Bourguignon Recipe
As soon as colder weather hits in the fall, I start craving the deep flavors of stews made with root vegetables, beef, and rich gravies. Gone are the quick-cooking grill recipes, and in their place come long-braised meats that simmer in the oven.
Beef Bourguignon is, at its simplest, a beef stew recipe. But the addition of red wine and bacon takes it up quite a few notches by giving it a much deeper flavor without much more effort. This recipe cuts back a bit on the wine and replaces some with beef stock, which still gives it complexity but allows for a glass or two from the bottle to be served with the meal.
What is Beef Bourguignon (Beef Burgundy)
Beef Bourguignon, also known as “Boeuf Bourguignon” in French, is a classic Burgundy beef stew where the beef is braised in red wine, typically Burgundy wine, along with broth, vegetables, and herbs. You might be familiar with Chef Escoffier, who’s credited with creating the dish when it was first published in 1903. But it’s Julia Child whom the dish is most widely associated with, after it appeared in her famous cookbook “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and then as one of the first episodes on her hit TV show The French Chef.
There’s nothing complicated or fussy about Beef Bourg; in fact, it’s a simple recipe with basic ingredients. The flavor comes from searing the beef to get that delicious fond, then scraping it into the stew along with rendered bacon fat and a good wine. Those few extra steps and ingredients elevate a simple beef stew into something worthy for company!
Beef Bourguignon Ingredients
The list of ingredients isn’t too long and the only vegetables to chop are an onion and a carrot! To save even more time, purchase pre-sliced mushrooms.
- Chuck roast (or stew meat, brisket, etc.) – Braising the meat means you can use a tougher cut if that’s what you have on hand. A few suggestions include paleron (chuck or shoulder), brisket or round roast. Beef cheeks and shin are a couple of exotic choices that happen to work well with this stew.
- Bacon – Using the fat rendered from bacon gives a deeper flavor than sautéing your vegetables in oil.
- Onion – I typically use a sweet onion in this recipe, but white or red would work just fine as well. Many recipes use pearl onions but I prefer the added sweetness.
- Carrot – One large carrot adds a lot of flavor, but feel free to add even more if yours is a family that loves them.
- Garlic – Doesn’t everyone love garlic? Add even more if you’d like!
- Tomato paste – Don’t omit this as it really adds to the rich flavor of the “gravy”.
- Flour – This thickens the “gravy” and makes for a wonderful mouth-feel once the stew is finished.
- Red wine – Burgundy wine made with Pinot Noir grapes was in the original recipe, but we’ve found that we enjoy a Napa Pinot Noir or Merlot even better. It is said that you shouldn’t use any wine in cooking that you wouldn’t drink and that goes for the wine you use in this recipe.
- Beef stock or broth – Homemade is best here, but using a low-sodium boxed version allows more control over seasoning.
- Parsley and Thyme – Go with fresh herbs, you won’t regret it!
- Bay leaves
- Crimini mushrooms – These are cooked separately from the dish and added at the end, which prevents them from being too “cooked down”. White button mushrooms would also work well.
How to Make Beef Bourguignon
(Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe card with exact measurements and recipe instructions.)
Making Beef Bourguignon is very similar to making a basic beef stew: brown the beef, sauté the vegetables, add something to help it thicken, then add the liquid and beef back to the pot to simmer or braise.
It’s so simple to make yet turns out a delicious dish that’s perfect served over or alongside mashed potatoes. It’s a dish that doesn’t keep you in the kitchen for hours yet tastes as if you were!
Variations and Tips
- Increase the amount of red wine, then decrease the amount of beef stock. Alternatively, you could omit the red wine altogether, but this won’t give you the depth of flavor like the original.
- A splash of brandy adds a bit of complexity to this stew or add a splash of Worcestershire sauce before serving.
- Add more or less of the ingredients that you love. For example, we’re a family who loves onions, so I’ll often add some peeled pearl onions. More carrots or mushrooms, or even adding a few chopped potatoes before putting it in the oven would be delicious!
- Try blanched bacon if you prefer to reduce the smokiness and saltiness of the bacon, while yielding a milder flavor. Simply immerse the bacon strips in boiling water for about 1 to 2 minutes, then drain and pat them dry before cooking. This short video provides an easy guide for blanching bacon.
- Make sure to sear the beef in batches so each piece gets a good sear. This will make all the difference in the final dish.
Can you make Beef Bourguignon ahead of time?
You can absolutely make beef bourguignon ahead of time; in fact, it’s one of those dishes that tastes even better the longer it sits. Make it the day before, store it in the refrigerator, then gently reheat it on the stove until it’s hot and bubbling.
You can also freeze it in airtight containers for up to three months, then reheat the same way.
What to serve with Beef Bourguignon
Beef bourguignon is best served over creamy mashed potatoes. Mashed cauliflower would be the closest alternative (and I can attest that it’s also delicious). Beef Bourguignon with pasta works well with long, broad or flat noodles that catch and hold the rich sauce and hearty stew. I like to use egg noodles, Pappardelle or Tagliatelle or Fettuccine noodles. Soft and creamy polenta, boiled or crispy potatoes, vegetable puree or a bed of rice would be delicious as well.
To round out your meal, warm dinner rolls or crusty bread and a side salad is really all you need. You could also opt for a green vegetable, such as green beans.
Once you make this delicious, easy recipe, it’ll become a go-to for your cold-weather meals.
Try this Coq au Vin recipe next. Both coq au vin and beef bourguignon originated from the Burgundy region where coq au vin is prepared with a rooster (or chicken) instead of beef.
Beef Bourguignon Recipe
Classic Beef Bourguignon, also known as Boeuf Bourguignon, is a French beef stew braised in red wine with mushrooms, onions, herbs, and bacon.
Ingredients
- 3 lb chuck roast, trimmed of fat then cut into bite-sized pieces (can also use stew meat, brisket, etc.)
- 8 oz bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 8 strips)
- 1 large sweet onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups red wine, such as Pinot Noir or Merlot
- 3 cups low-sodium beef stock or broth
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
- 1 tsp freshly chopped thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 lb Crimini mushrooms, halved
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Take the beef out and cut into pieces, then set aside to come to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 350F.
- In a large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, cook the bacon until crispy. Using a slotted spoon, set aside to drain on paper towels, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Brown the beef cubes in the rendered bacon fat, in batches if necessary (don’t overcrowd the pot or the beef will steam and not sear properly). Remove the beef cubes with a slotted spoon and set them aside.
- Add the onions and carrots to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about 7-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, cook for one minute more. Sprinkle the flour into the pot, cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Slowly pour the wine into the pot, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth, taking care to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the beef stock, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and reserved beef and bacon; stir to combine.
- Cover the pot and place it in the oven. Cook for 1 ½ - 2 hours, or until the beef is very tender.
- Meanwhile, cook the mushrooms over high heat, until the water they release has evaporated and the mushrooms are lightly browned. Stir into the pot once the beef is cooked and tender, top with additional chopped parsley (if desired), and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 672Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 170mgSodium: 888mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 56g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
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