Description
Beef Bourguignon is a classic French stew featuring tender beef braised in Burgundy red wine, infused with aromatic vegetables, herbs, and savory bacon. This hearty dish is finished with glazed pearl onions and sautéed mushrooms, delivering rich, deep flavors perfect for a comforting meal. Ideal for making ahead, it develops even better flavor when refrigerated overnight.
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
- 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 and Prepare Dutch Oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place the rack in the middle to accommodate the Dutch oven. Heat the Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Cook Bacon: Add the bacon to the pot and cook for 7 to 10 minutes until most fat is rendered. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Prepare and Sear Beef: Pat beef cubes dry, season with salt and pepper, toss with flour, shaking off excess. Brown beef in batches in the pot until thoroughly seared on all sides. Remove beef and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: Remove excess fat leaving about 1/4 cup in pot. Add chopped onions and cook 3 to 5 minutes until soft. Add carrots and cook additional 5 to 7 minutes until slightly colored.
- Add Garlic and Tomato Paste: Stir in minced garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Then add tomato paste and cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. If paste starts to burn, add a few ounces of water to cool.
- Add Remaining Flour and Mix: Incorporate remaining flour into the pot, cooking about 2 minutes until flour loses its raw whiteness.
- Add Liquids and Herbs: Gradually whisk in the wine and beef broth, scraping bottom to loosen browned bits. Return beef and bacon to pot, add thyme bundle and bay leaves, then turn off heat.
- Braise in Oven: Cover pot and place in oven for 2 hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours until beef is very tender. Check at 90 minutes, adding 1/2 cup water if sauce is too thick, then continue cooking.
- Season and Remove Herbs: Once tender, remove pot from oven, discard bay leaves and thyme bundle, and taste to adjust salt and pepper.
- Skim Fat: Skim off visible fat from the surface or use paper towels to absorb excess fat.
- Reduce Sauce if Needed: If sauce is thin, drain solids into another pot and simmer sauce until it coats the back of a spoon. Return solids to sauce and keep covered.
- Sauté Pearl Onions: Heat olive oil in a pan over slightly higher than medium heat. Cook pearl onions 4 to 5 minutes until tender. Remove and keep warm.
- Sauté Mushrooms: In the same pan, cook mushrooms until water releases and evaporates, and mushrooms start to brown, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add butter and cook 2 to 3 minutes until mushrooms are glossy. Return pearl onions to pan, toss to coat, season with salt, pepper, and thyme leaves. Turn off heat.
- Finish and Serve: Stir parsley into the stew. Either mix mushrooms and onions into stew or serve them separately alongside. Serve with mashed potatoes or crusty bread. For best flavor, refrigerate overnight and gently reheat before serving.
Notes
- For best flavor, refrigerate the stew overnight and reheat gently on the stovetop the next day.
- Homemade beef stock is preferred, but low sodium beef base can be used with careful seasoning adjustments.
- Leftovers keep up to 3 days refrigerated or can be frozen for up to 6 months.
- If sauce is too thick after refrigeration or reheating, add water to loosen as needed.
- Serve with mashed potatoes or crusty bread for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 52 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
