Beef Bourguignon

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🇫🇷 Beef Bourguignon — Full Recipe & Complete Guide

Servings

6 people

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

2½–3 hours

Ingredients

Beef & Marinade

  • 3 lbs (1.3 kg) beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) red wine (Burgundy or any dry, full-bodied red)
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1–2 bay leaves
  • 2–3 sprigs thyme
  • 6–8 black peppercorns

(Marinating is optional but deepens flavor.)

For the stew

  • 6 oz (170 g) bacon or lardons
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 2–3 cups (500–750 ml) beef stock
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2–3 sprigs thyme
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish (added at the end)

  • 1 lb (450 g) pearl onions, peeled
  • 1 lb (450 g) mushrooms, quartered
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Fresh parsley for serving

⭐ Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Optional: Marinate the beef (12–24 hours)

Place beef chunks in a bowl with wine, sliced onion, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Next day: drain beef and pat dry. Reserve wine and vegetables separately.

If skipping the marinade, you’ll still add wine during cooking.

2. Brown the bacon

  1. In a heavy pot/Dutch oven, cook the bacon until browned and crisp.
  2. Remove and set aside (leave the fat in the pot).

3. Brown the beef (essential step!)

  1. Heat the bacon fat until very hot.
  2. Add beef in a single layer — do not overcrowd.
  3. Brown on all sides; remove and repeat until all beef is seared.

Browning is where the deep flavor comes from — take your time.

4. Cook the vegetables

In the same pot:

  1. Add onion and carrot.
  2. Cook until softened (5–7 minutes).
  3. Stir in minced garlic and cook 30 seconds.

5. Add flour

Sprinkle 3 tbsp flour over the vegetables and stir well.
Cook 1–2 minutes until it forms a light roux.

6. Deglaze & build the sauce

Add:

  • The reserved marinade wine (or fresh wine if not marinated)
  • Beef stock
  • Tomato paste
  • Bay leaf & thyme

Stir well, scraping up brown bits.

Return the browned beef and bacon to the pot.

The liquid should barely cover the meat — add more stock if needed.

7. Simmer / Oven Braise

You can cook it either way:

Stovetop:

Simmer gently for 2½–3 hours, covered.

Oven:

Cook at 325°F (160°C) for 2½ hours.

The meat should be fall-apart tender, not mushy.

8. Prepare the mushrooms & pearl onions

While the stew cooks:

Mushrooms

  1. Heat butter + olive oil in a pan.
  2. Sauté mushrooms on high heat until golden.
  3. Set aside.

Pearl onions

  1. In butter, sauté onions until lightly browned.
  2. Add a splash of stock or water.
  3. Cover and simmer until tender.
  4. Set aside.

9. Finish the stew

When the beef is tender:

  1. Remove bay leaves and thyme stems.
  2. Add the browned mushrooms and pearl onions.
  3. Simmer uncovered 10–15 minutes to meld flavors and slightly thicken.

Taste and adjust salt & pepper.

10. Serve

Beef Bourguignon is traditionally served with:

  • Buttered noodles
  • Mashed potatoes
  • Crusty bread
  • Rice
  • Or creamy polenta

Sprinkle fresh parsley on top.

🌟 Pro Tips for the Best Beef Bourguignon

✔ Use a full-bodied red wine

Burgundy is classic, but any dry, robust wine works: Merlot, Cabernet, Côtes du Rhône.

✔ Brown everything well

Deep browning = deep flavor.

✔ Cook low and slow

Rushing leads to tough beef.
Minimum simmer: 2½ hours.

✔ Add mushrooms & onions at the end

Keeps them firm and flavorful instead of mushy.

🍷 Best Wine Pairings

  • Burgundy (Pinot Noir)
  • Côtes du Rhône
  • Malbec
  • Cabernet Sauvignon

🔀 Variations

• Without wine

Replace wine with extra beef broth + 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar.

• Slow cooker version

Brown beef/bacon first, then transfer to slow cooker with all ingredients.
Cook on LOW 8–9 hours.

• Pressure cooker / Instant Pot

Cook 45 minutes high pressure + 10-minute natural release.

❗ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Overcrowding beef when searing (prevents browning).
  • Boiling too hard — toughens meat.
  • Not drying beef before browning — causes steaming.
  • Skipping the mushroom/onion sauté — loses flavor.

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