Boeuf Bourguignon (Beef Stew in Red Wine)

Name: Boeuf Bourguignon (Beef Stew in Red Wine)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 250 min
Ingredients: 3–4 strips of thick-cut bacon, uncooked; Approx. 1.5 kg (3.3 pounds) stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes ((see Notes, below, about different cuts of beef)); 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 3 cup red wine ((see Notes, below, about different red wines)); 1–2 cup beef stock ((click for my Homemake Beef Stock recipe)); 3 medium carrots, washed, peeled, and sliced; 2 medium onions, peeled and sliced; 2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed; 1 bay leaf, whole; 2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves, removed from the stalk; 2 tsp kosher salt; ½ tsp ground black pepper; 1 Tbsp tomato paste; 18–24 (about 500 g) small white pearl onions, peeled; 1–2 cup water, or beef stock; 1 Tbsp unsalted butter; ½ tsp kosher salt; 1 pound (about 500 g) fresh whole cremini mushrooms, gently scrubbed and quartered; 2 Tbsp unsalted butter; 3–5 Tbsp all-purpose flour; 3–5 Tbsp unsalted butter; (Roughly 1 Tbsp of each per cup of liquid)

Considered quintessential French cooking, boeuf bourguignon is a beef stew made with red wine from the “Bourgogne" (Burgundy) region of France. Paired with my garlic mashed potatoes, this is a seriously hearty comfort meal!

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Boeuf bourguignon, or “beef bourguignon”, is quintessential French cooking. I know we often think of French cooking as super fancy and over the top, but that isn’t always the case. Many of the most famous — and most delicious — French dishes are hearty comfort foods like Beouf Bourguignon! If you are interested in dabbling in French cooking, you have to give this one a try!

Boeuf bourguignon is a beef stew made with red wine from the “Bourgogne” (Burgundy) region of France. Traditionally, the stew contains beef (of course), lardons (I like to use thick-cut bacon), carrots, onions, pearl white onions, mushrooms, and different herbs, braised in red wine and beef stock.

After doing some research and testing, I have found beef chuck to be the best meat for boeuf bourguignon. Chuck is an inexpensive cut that comes from the shoulder. Being a heavily worked muscle, chuck can be very tough if not cooked properly. Luckily, this same property is what makes it perfect for stewing: cooking the beef longer at a low temperature helps break down and tenderize the meat while not drying it out or having it fall apart.

If you are anything like me, the “meat aisle” can sometimes be intimidating, especially because it is almost always a heavily trafficked area. To complicate things even more, my local grocery store actually labels all of their chuck meat as “stewing beef”. You can always ask the butcher for help if you are feeling confused or overwhelmed.

Ultimately, what gives boeuf bourguignon its signature flavor is the red wine. If you want to be traditional, look for a red Burgundy wine, such as a Pinot noir. You can also use a Chianti, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot — really any good, dry red wine will work.

When you are cooking the beef bourguignon, check on it a few times to make sure it isn’t boiling. Ideally, you just want a slow simmer. Every oven has its own personality, so you may need to make adjustments to the temperature as needed.

Finally, boeuf bourguignon makes excellent leftovers! Actually, many people — myself included — find it even better the next day. I usually just let the remaining stew cool, then place the entire dutch oven in the fridge. The next day, you can just reheat it on the stovetop (on low/medium heat) and voilà!

I like to serve boeuf bourguignon with my Garlic Mashed Potatoes and, of course, more red wine.

First, preheat the oven to 250°F. I like to start by washing, peeling, and cutting the vegetables for the stew, so that I have them ready before I start cooking the meat.

Cut the stewing beef into 2-inch cubes. Dry the beef cubes in paper towel so that they will brown properly. This prevents them from steaming.

Cut the raw thick-cut bacon strips into small pieces about 1-inch long by ¼-inch thick. In a large flameproof casserole dish or Dutch oven, sauté the bacon in olive oil over moderate heat for about 5 to 7 minutes — just until the bacon is lightly browned and the fat has rendered from the bacon. Remove the bacon from the dish and set it aside on a plate.

Next, sauté the beef cubes in the hot olive oil and pork fat, a few pieces at a time, until they are nicely browned on all sides. Set the beef aside on the plate with the bacon, and continue until all beef cubes are sufficiently browned.

In the same hot oil and fat, sauté the peeled and sliced carrots and onions and cook them until slightly browned. Drain the oil and fat from the dish, and add back in the beef cubes and bacon.

Then, stir in the wine and enough brown beef stock to just barely cover the meat. Add in the tomato paste, minced garlic, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook over moderate heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the liquid has come to a simmer.

Cover the casserole dish or Dutch oven and set it in the lower third of a preheated oven. Cook the beef and vegetables for about 2½ to 3 hours, until the beef can be easily pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, prepare the braised onions and sautéed mushrooms.

For the braised onions, place the white pearl onions in a saucepan and add in just enough water (or beef stock) to cover them, along with the butter and salt. Cook the pearl onions for about 40 to 60 minutes, until they can also be easily pierced wth a fork.

For the sautéed mushrooms, heat butter in a skillet until the foaming has subsided and add in the quartered mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms for about 8 to 10 minutes, until they are lightly browned.

When the beef is tender, remove any large pieces of meat and vegetables from the dish and set them aside. While not necessary, I do this to prevent splatter during the next step.

Set a mesh wire strainer or sieve over a saucepan and pour the liquid into the saucepan through the strainer. This separates any remaining bits and leaves you with just a nice, brown liquid in your saucepan. Return all meat, vegetables, and any strained bits back to the casserole dish or Dutch oven. Add in the braised onions and sautéed mushrooms and set over low heat while preparing the sauce.

To make the sauce, simmer the cooking liquid over moderate heat, scraping any fat that accumulates at the surface of the liquid with a spoon. After a few minutes, the sauce will begin to reduce and thicken.

To thicken the sauce even more, mix in equal parts flour and butter (called beurre manié in French) until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. I tend to use between 3 to 5 tablespoons of each during this step, but feel free to use less or more depending on how much liquid there is. (If the sauce gets too thick, you can always add in a little splash of beef stock to thin it out.)

When happy with the consistency, taste it and check for proper seasoning.

Then, pour the sauce into the casserole dish or Dutch oven and over the meat and vegetables. Stir gently.

Cover and simmer the stew for a few minutes, until it is sufficiently warmed, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce. Serve hot.

Alternatively, for later serving, allow the stew to cool before covering and refrigerating it.