Beef Bourguignon Recipe

Beef Bourguignon (boor-ghee-NYON) is one of my ultimate favorite beef stews. I like it a lot because it is simply delicious. You might be intimidated to try cooking this dish because it looks so complicated and the color isn’t that appealing, but trust me, once you try this easy and step-by-step recipe, you’ll never see beef the same way again!

Beef Bourguignon is a classic French stew made with beef braised in red wine, along with onions, garlic, carrots, and mushrooms. The dish is slow-cooked to tender perfection, approximately less than 3 hours. This Beef Bourguignon recipe is special because I used Merlot wine instead of Burgundy. I prefer Merlot for its fruitier flavor.

How to Cook Beef Bourguignon

1. First, let’s form the smoky flavor. Cook the bacon in a pot until the fat renders out and the bacon turns light to medium brown. This step adds a rich flavor to the dish. Remove the bacon and half of the fat, placing the bacon in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Keep the pot on the heat with the remaining bacon fat. Add the cubed beef and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring until the beef turns medium brown. Transfer the browned beef and its juices to a bowl. Set aside as we don’t want to overbrown our beef.
3. It’s time to add the veggies! Pour the reserved bacon fat back into the pot. Heat the pot and add the sliced carrots, sautéing for 3 minutes. Then, add the diced yellow onion and continue to sauté until the onion softens.
4. Return the cooked beef (with its juices) and bacon to the pot. Stir everything together to combine the flavors. Next, pour in the red wine and 2 cups of beef broth, bringing the mixture to a boil. This deglazes the pot and incorporates all the browned bits into the sauce!
5. Once done, stir in the tomato paste and fresh thyme. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and let it cook for 2 hours. Check occasionally and add more beef broth if it starts to dry out. This slow cooking process tenderizes the beef and really infuses the flavors into the meat.
6. Five minutes before the 2-hour timer is up, melt the butter in a different pan. Sauté the mushrooms over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until they are tender. Set aside.
7. Add the pearl onions to the boiling pot of Beef Bourguignon and cook for 8 minutes. This adds a sweet, mild onion flavor to the stew.
8. After that, stir in the sautéed mushrooms with their butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Finally, sprinkle the flour on top and quickly stir until the flour is fully incorporated into the sauce. This thickens the stew.
10. Serve your delicious Beef Bourguignon with love!

What Does Beef Bourguignon Taste Like

Imagine tender beef coated with the combined flavors of red wine and fresh herbs. There’s a strong taste from the wine, and the smoky flavor is deeply infused into the beef. That’s why, when paired with side dishes, we usually choose dishes that aren’t too strong in flavor to balance it out.

What to Serve with Beef Bourguignon

Personally, I love it with French bread or Bruschetta is also an option, but it’s typically served with mashed potatoes. So, I’m going to share a couple of mashed potato recipe recommendations with you.

• Homemade Mashed Potato – This is the easiest and most classic version of mashed potatoes.
• Garlic Mashed Potato – If you want your mashed potatoes a little garlicky, this is the perfect mashed potato recipe for you.
• Creamy Mashed Potato – I consider this a next-level mashed potato because it has the perfect creaminess and just the right herbs! Try it with your Beef Bourguignon!

Can You Freeze Beef Bourguignon

Yes, you can freeze Beef Bourguignon. To do this, let the stew cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Make sure to leave some space at the top for the liquid to expand as it freezes. You can store it in the freezer for up to three months! When you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw the stew in the refrigerator overnight and reheat it gently on the stove.

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5 from 1 vote

Beef Bourguignon Recipe

Uses Merlot red wine to braise the beef and serves it with herbs and spices

Course Main Dish

Cuisine French

Keyword beef recipe, bourguignon

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 505kcal

Author Chef Speedy

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. beef chuck or sirloin cubed
• 6 ounces bacon chopped
• 2 medium carrots sliced diagonally
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 12 to 18 pieces pearl onions peeled
• 3 cups red wine merlot
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 ½ tablespoons fresh thyme chopped
• ¾ lb. cremini mushroom chopped
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Cook the bacon in a pot until fat comes out and the bacon turn light to medium brown. Remove the bacon and half of the fat. Put in a bowl. Set aside.
  6 ounces bacon
• Continue to heat the pot with bacon fat. Add the cubed beef and then cook for 5 to 8 minutes (or until the color turns medium brown) while stirring. Transfer to a bowl and include the juice. Set aside.
  2 lbs. beef chuck or sirloin
• Pour the bacon fat saved in step 1 into the pot. Heat the pot and then add the carrot; sauté for 3 minutes. Add the diced yellow onion. Continue to sauté until the onion gets soft.
  2 medium carrots, 1 medium yellow onion
• Put the cooked beef (with juice) and bacon back in the pot. Stir.
• Pour the red wine and beef broth. Let boil.
  3 cups red wine, 2 cups beef broth
• Stir and add tomato paste and fresh thyme. Cover, set the heat to low, and then cook for 2 hours; add more beef broth if it starts to dry out.
  2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 ½ tablespoons fresh thyme
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan. Sauté the mushrooms in medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes; set aside.
  3 tablespoons butter, ¾ lb. cremini mushroom
• Put the pearl onions in the boiling pot of beef stew. Cook for 8 minutes.
  12 to 18 pieces pearl onions
• Add the sautéed mushrooms with butter. Stir.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
  Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• Sprinkle the flour on top. Quickly stir until the flour completely dilutes in the sauce.
  2 tablespoons flour
• Serve.

Video

Notes

To prevent failing your Beef Bourguignon, it’s best to choose a good cut of beef with good marbling, like chuck or brisket, which becomes tender and flavorful when slow-cooked. Lean cuts can become tough and dry when slow-cooked, whereas well-marbled cuts break down and become tender, absorbing the rich flavors of the wine and herbs. So, it’s best to stick with cuts that are suited for slow cooking. Good luck in creating your Beef Bourguignon!

Nutrition

Serving: 6g | Calories: 505kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 683mg | Potassium: 1179mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3750IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 4mg

Watch the Video on How to Cook Beef Bourguignon