Beef bourguignon is one of my favorite comfort foods, especially during colder months. And during a time like this, I think we need all the comfort food we can get. When I first made beef bourguignon a few years ago, I expected it to be super complicated as that’s what I associated with classical French cooking. However, I think after making it countless times, I’ve figured out a way to make it simple and straight-forward!
This recipe requires an oven-safe pot with lid, like a dutch oven, as the oven is going to do most of the work for us! A few steps on the stove in the beginning, a little over an hour in the oven, then a few steps at the end to finish it off!
I’ve portioned this recipe to be enough for 2 people with some leftovers. However, if you’re cooking for a family, I suggest tripling the recipe so you can use up the entire bottle of wine!
Ingredients:
- Bacon: Traditionally, this recipe has bacon. However, I’ve made it with and without, and while it’s richer tasting with bacon, it’s not a necessity if you don’t have any on hand.
- Beef: Any cut of beef will work. Since we are letting it slow cook in the oven for over an hour, I tend to use a chuck steak cut or brisket as they are relatively cheaper cuts and taste just as good as more expensive ones in this recipe.
- Vegetables: Onions, carrots, and garlic are a must for this recipe. I love carrots cooked in red wine, so I always add extra! Cremini mushrooms are my favorite type to add in at the end, but white button ones work as well. Adding frozen pearl onions at the ends are like the cherry on top of the recipe. They soak up all the flavor of the soup and pop in your mouth. However, I often have trouble finding them at the market so no worries if you can’t find them.
- Red wine: Traditionally, beef bourguignon is made with Burgundy wine, but my favorite wine to use so far after trying many different ones is actually cabernet sauvignon. The red wine you use really does matter here because it’s not just a splash in the sauce…it makes up half the sauce. My general rule is use a red wine you would enjoy drinking. Don’t use something like two buck chuck, but you also don’t need to use a $50 bottle of wine. This recipe only calls for 1 cup of wine…so you can enjoy the rest of it with dinner. Or just triple the recipe and use the whole bottle!
- Beef base: Instead of beef broth, I like using beef base. My favorite brand is the Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base. The flavor is a little more intense than beef broth, but feel free to use whichever you have.
- Tomato paste: Helps to add in that tomato base flavor without making the sauce more liquidy.
- Herbs: Dried or fresh thyme work for this, and definitely try to top with parsley at the end if you can!
- Butter + flour: This is what will help thicken the soup when it’s out of the oven and add that extra richness of flavor with the butter.
Directions:
Once you’re able to make beef bourguignon, other French recipes like coq au vin are very similar and easy!
First, you’ll want to brown the bacon and beef in a dutch oven, then set aside. Browning the beef helps add to the richness of the stew. The caramelization from the sear adds a lot more depth to the flavor and also helps decrease the cooking time needed in the oven.
Preheat the oven to 250°F. Add the carrots, onions, garlic, 1 tsp each of salt and pepper, and cook until onions are translucent and starting to brown on the edges.
Add in the red wine, beef base or broth, tomato paste, and thyme. Stir and bring to a simmer, put a lid on it, and set it into the oven for 1 hour 20 minutes. The color of the broth won’t be super rich and creamy looking when everything is initially combined.
Around 10 minutes before the pot should come out of the oven, saute the mushrooms and make the butter + flour mixture. Right when it comes out of the oven, you can tell the flavors in the pot have combined and cooked together. The color has deepened and it’s going to smell amazing!
Mix in the mushrooms and butter + flour mixture. Let the pot simmer for another 15 minutes to help the stew thicken.
Beef bourguignon tastes amazing over some mashed potatoes! But really any carb will work, like toasted bread, gnocchi, or even pasta!
Beef Bourguignon
AuthorTiffany AngelaCategoryFrenchDifficultyBeginnerFoolproof recipe for this French classic that takes all the guesswork out of it. Give this a try and it will become a staple meal!
Heat the oil in a 3.5 qt or larger dutch oven (or oven-safe pot). Add in the bacon and cook over low to medium heat until browned. Remove the bacon and keep in a separate bowl.
Season the beef cubes lightly with salt and pepper, then sear on each side until all pieces are browned. Remove the meat from the pot and keep separate with the bacon.
Preheat the oven to 250°. Add the chopped onion and carrots, garlic, 1 tsp each of salt and pepper to the pot and cook for 15 minutes until the onions are translucent and starting to brown around the edges.
Add the bacon and beef back into the pot. Then add in the wine, beef stock, tomato paste, and thyme. Stir and bring the pot to a simmer. Cover the pot and place in the oven for 1 hour 20 minutes.
When there are still 10 minutes left in the oven, saute the mushrooms in 1 tbsp of butter in a separate pan until lightly browned. In a separate small bowl, microwave the other 1 tbsp of butter until just melted and add the flour. Mix until it forms a paste.
Add the mushrooms, butter/flour mixtures, and bag of frozen pearl onions into the pot once it comes out of the oven. Bring the pot to a simmer for 15 minutes.
Serve over mashed potatoes, toasted bread, or gnocchi and top with some chopped parsley!
Ingredients
Directions
Heat the oil in a 3.5 qt or larger dutch oven (or oven-safe pot). Add in the bacon and cook over low to medium heat until browned. Remove the bacon and keep in a separate bowl.
Season the beef cubes lightly with salt and pepper, then sear on each side until all pieces are browned. Remove the meat from the pot and keep separate with the bacon.
Preheat the oven to 250°. Add the chopped onion and carrots, garlic, 1 tsp each of salt and pepper to the pot and cook for 15 minutes until the onions are translucent and starting to brown around the edges.
Add the bacon and beef back into the pot. Then add in the wine, beef stock, tomato paste, and thyme. Stir and bring the pot to a simmer. Cover the pot and place in the oven for 1 hour 20 minutes.
When there are still 10 minutes left in the oven, saute the mushrooms in 1 tbsp of butter in a separate pan until lightly browned. In a separate small bowl, microwave the other 1 tbsp of butter until just melted and add the flour. Mix until it forms a paste.
Add the mushrooms, butter/flour mixtures, and bag of frozen pearl onions into the pot once it comes out of the oven. Bring the pot to a simmer for 15 minutes.
Serve over mashed potatoes, toasted bread, or gnocchi and top with some chopped parsley!
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