Beef Bourguignon Recipe

This beef bourguignon recipe is a classic French dish worthy of mastering! You’ll love the tender beef and vegetables, stewed for two hours in the oven to create a rich, savory sauce. It’s the perfect dish for holiday entertaining because the whole thing can be made up to two days ahead—in fact, it’s even better when made ahead! This gives the flavors a chance to marry, and the reheating makes the beef even more tender and delicious.

Pair this dish with my Gratin Dauphinois for a classic French side that can be made ahead and reheated when it’s time to serve. 

What’s the Difference Between Beef Stew and Beef Bourguignon?

Beef Bourguignon is a sophisticated beef stew named for the Burgundy region of France (or Bourgogne, as it’s known in France), where it originated. Burgundy is a main wine-producing region in France, and traditionally, a whole bottle of red Burgundy wine is used in this recipe, whereas beef stew typically doesn’t include wine. The other difference is evident in the ingredients used. Traditional beef stews often include potatoes and carrots, whereas beef bourguignon is famous for including bacon, mushrooms, and caramelized pearl onions. Beef Bourguignon has long been popular in France, but was popularized in the U.S. by Julia Child. This recipe is very close to Julia’s, with a few adjustments on my part to enhance certain flavors.

What’s the Secret to a Great Beef Bourguignon?

Is simple. It’s time. Stew meat is tough; it gets more tender the longer you cook it. It should take at least 2 hours to cook in a covered Dutch oven in a preheated 325°F oven. The way to know it is done is to take a piece of meat and test its tenderness. It should cut easily with a fork and practically fall apart. That’s when you know it’s done! For an even better-tasting beef bourguignon, with even more tender meat, make it 1-2 days ahead. Allow it to cool, then reheat it and serve. This “make-ahead” component is what makes beef bourguignon such an excellent recipe for holiday entertaining.

Ingredients:

• Stew Meat: The best cuts of beef for beef bourguignon are those that become tender after several hours of slow cooking. In France, I use paleron, or Beef Chuck, as it’s known in the States. But you could also use Brisket or Short Rib. Trader Joe’s sells beef already cut into cubes in its meat case, labeled “Beef Stew Meat,” which is also quite good. 
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper: This recipe has many stages and components. To get the best flavor, season to taste at each stage. 
• All-Purpose Flour: Use to dredge the beef before searing. This creates a protective coating around the meat that becomes a crust after searing. It helps protect the beef, keep it tender, and thicken the stew. 
• Olive oil: For sauting various components of the recipe. 
• Applewood Smoked Bacon: The bacon adds a wonderful smoky flavor to this dish. The rendered fat from the bacon is then used to sauté the vegetables, adding even more flavor.
• Yellow Onions: This dish uses two types of onions: diced yellow onions for a base of flavor and frozen pearl onions for a lighter note.
• Carrots: I prefer to keep them on the larger side to create a more attractive presentation of the finished dish. I also slice the ends diagonally, which adds to the presentation. 
• Red Wine: Pinot Noir, Côte de Rhone, or a Bordeaux are the best choices for beef bourguignon. The wine adds tremendous flavor to the sauce, so it should be a good quality wine you would actually drink!
• Beef Stock: Use beef stock instead of beef broth, as it provides more flavor. 
• Tomato Paste: I add a small amount of tomato paste to balance the wine’s flavor. 
• Garlic: At least two large cloves.
• Dried Thyme: Adds a deep thyme flavor.
• Fresh Thyme: Adds a bit of freshness to this hearty stew. 
• Bay Leaf: You can use either fresh or dried. It will be added to the stew and simmered for 2 hours while it cooks in the oven. You can remove it before serving. 
• Butter: Once the stew is done, add a pat of butter to create a velvety-smooth finish to the sauce. 
• White Button Mushrooms: These will be quartered or halved if small and sautéed in butter until nicely browned before adding them to the stew to simmer. 
• Frozen Pearl Onions: These are small onions with a delicate flavor. They are found in the frozen food aisle. They’ll be sautéed in olive oil until lightly caramelized, then added to the stew.
• Cornstarch + Cold Water: This creates a slurry that thickens the stew after it has simmered for 2 hours.
• Fresh Italian Parsley: For a pretty garnish and fresh finish. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

• It’s easy to double the recipe and make two batches to feed a crowd.
• It’s an elegant recipe for Christmas or Christmas Eve.
• It can be reheated in the oven, freeing you to mingle with your guests!
• It makes for fantastic leftovers the next day, or it can be frozen up to one month. 

Step #1: Sauté the Bacon 

• You’ll sauté the bacon in a nonstick skillet until it is crispy.
• I prefer to begin this recipe in a skillet to get the bacon crispy and a great sear on the beef. Then transfer it to a large Dutch oven to simmer in the oven.
• In years past, I’ve started in the Dutch Oven, but I have found that the enamel finish on these pots can sometimes prevent the bacon from getting crispy and the beef from getting a nice crust.
• Don’t worry—you won’t lose the flavor the bacon and beef provide in these initial steps, since we’ll deglaze the pan later with a little wine and transfer it to the Dutch oven to simmer.

Step#2: Sauté the Onions and Carrots

• Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• Don’t wash out the skillet. Use the remaining bacon fat to saute the onions and the carrots.
• I start the onions early, and once they are fragrant and translucent, I add the carrots.
• You don’t need to cook them through at this stage; caramelize them to deepen their flavor.
• They will continue to cook through and become tender as they simmer in the oven.

Step#3:Dredging the Beef

• Pat the beef dry with a paper towel.
• Season the beef well with salt and pepper to taste.
• Then dredge the beef in flour. Once seared in the skillet, the flour will allow the meat to form a crust. The crust will protect the beef while searing, keeping it tender.
• It’s best to dredge the beef in flour a few pieces at a time to prevent the flour from absorbing into the meat. Only dredge the beef you plan to sear, leaving room in your skillet to sear it on all sides without crowding.

Step#4: Searing the Beef

• In a large non-stick 12-inch skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat.
• Once hot and shimmering, add a few pieces of beef and sear on all sides until golden brown and a crust forms.
• Don’t worry about cooking it through at this stage; it will cook through in the oven.
• Transfering the seared beef to a plate, and continue to sear the meat in stages. 

Step#5: Deglazing the Pan

• Once all the beef has been seared, deglaze the skillet with 1 cup of the wine.
• Scrape up any brown bits in the bottom with a wooden spoon; this will enhance the sauce’s flavor.
• Simmer the wine for about a minute or two to allow it to combine with the drippings in the pan.

Step#6: Transfer to a Dutch Oven

• You’ll need a 5-quart Dutch oven to hold the quantity of this recipe.
• Ideally, a Dutch oven with an oven-safe top that can go in the oven (no plastic handles)
• One of the benefits of Le Creuset Dutch Ovens is that you can choose the handle material, and you can buy one with a metal handle.
• If your handle is plastic or you are unsure, these handles can often be removed with a screwdriver and placed in the oven without the handle. I have done this before, and it only requires removing the lid of your pot with oven mitts to check on your stew. 
• You’ll add the beef, the onions and carrots, tomato paste, herbs, and garlic, along with the deglazed wine, the remaining wine, and beef stock, to your pot. Give it a good stir, and then cover it and place it in the oven. I prefer to cook beef bourguignon in the oven instead of the stove because not only is it “passive cooking,” but you don’t have to “babysit” the stew as much, and I find the extra heat circulating in the oven helps the meat tenderize better. 
• Let it cook for 1 1/2 hours in the oven before adding the pearl onions and mushrooms. You can check on it every 20 minutes or so to stir it.

Step#7: Sautéing the Pearl Onions and Mushrooms

• What makes this stew so flavorful is that each component is seared or sautéed to develop its flavor, then added to the pot to mingle with the others, deepening their flavor.
• Sautéing the mushrooms and onions separately may seem like one more pesky step in an already lengthy process, but trust me, it’s worth it for the flavor it provides!
• In a nonstick skillet, add butter to sauté the mushrooms until browned and oil to caramelize the onions. This is why it’s best to sauté them separately: the mushrooms brown better in butter and become more flavorful, while the pearl onions caramelize better in olive oil.
• Once your stew has simmered for at least 1 hour and 30 minutes, add the mushrooms and pearl onions, stir them into the pot, cover, and simmer for another 30 minutes.

Why is My Beef Bourguignon Tough?

If your beef bourguignon is tough, it isn’t done yet. Tough meat becomes more tender the longer it simmers in liquid in a covered Dutch oven. In fact, the best way to know when your stew is done is to give it “the fork test”. Simply remove a cube of beef from the stew, put it on a cutting board, and you should be able to cut it in half easily with a fork. If it doesn’t have that tender texture yet or feels tough or rubbery, return it to the oven. Continue cooking it at 30-minute intervals until it passes the “fork test”. 

Step#8: The Finishing Touches

• Once your beef is tender, remove the Dutch oven from the oven. This is where you’ll want to thicken the sauce.
• Create the cornstarch slurry. Be sure to use very cold water; otherwise, the slurry will not activate, and your stew will not thicken.
• Bring your stew to a boil. Slowly pour in the slurry, whisking constantly, until the stew has thickened nicely.
• Then whisk in the butter for a velvety finish.
• At this stage, you can either serve it immediately or let it cool, then replace the lid on your Dutch oven and refrigerate it overnight.
• This assumes you are using a Dutch oven with an enamel interior. I wouldn’t do this with a metal pot. Instead, transfer it to a separate container before refrigerating.
• To reheat, return it to the oven at 350°F, covered, until hot. This should take about 20-30 minutes. 
• Ladle out into some shallow bowls and top with freshly chopped Italian parsley.