French Beef Bourguignon
A classic, soul-warming French stew featuring tender beef braised in a rich, velvety red wine sauce with earthy mushrooms and pearl onions.
Ingredients
- •2 lbs (900g) beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- •6 oz (170g) thick-cut bacon, diced
- •2 cups (480ml) dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir or Burgundy
- •2 cups (480ml) beef stock
- •2 tbsp tomato paste
- •3 cloves garlic, minced
- •1 lb (450g) cremini mushrooms, quartered
- •1 cup (150g) frozen pearl onions, thawed
- •2 large carrots, sliced into rounds
- •2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- •2 tbsp unsalted butter
- •1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- •2 bay leaves
- •Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- •2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).
- 2
In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
- 3
Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Sear the beef in the bacon fat in batches until browned on all sides, then remove and set aside.
- 4
Add the carrots to the pot and sauté for 3 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw taste.
- 5
Gradually whisk in the red wine and beef stock, scraping the bottom of the pot to release the browned bits. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves.
- 6
Return the beef and bacon to the pot. Cover and transfer to the oven to braise for 2.5 hours.
- 7
While the beef cooks, sauté the mushrooms and pearl onions in butter in a separate skillet until golden brown.
- 8
After 2.5 hours, stir the mushrooms and onions into the stew. Cook on the stovetop over low heat for an additional 20 minutes until the sauce is thickened and the beef is fork-tender.
- 9
Discard the bay leaves and adjust seasoning before serving.
💡 Chef tips
- For the best flavor, make this dish a day in advance; the flavors continue to meld and deepen overnight in the refrigerator.
- If the sauce is too thin after cooking, remove the beef and vegetables and simmer the liquid on the stovetop until it reduces to your desired consistency.
- Use a decent quality wine that you would actually enjoy drinking, as the wine provides the backbone of the sauce's flavor.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished dish features incredibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef coated in a glossy, deep-mahogany sauce with a complex, savory aroma and a rich, wine-forward flavor profile.