Classic French Beef Bourguignon

Fork-tender beef in a rich red-wine gravy nestled with veggies makes the Beef Bourguignon one of the most acclaimed French recipes around the world. As its name suggests, this beef stew originates from Burgundy (Bourgogne), a French region prized for producing exceptional cattle meat as well as red wine, which are both the star ingredients of this local dish. Beef Bourguignon is rich, earthy and indulgent. It’s simply everything you want in a bowl of Winter comfort food. 

French slow-cooking at its best

Making a Classic French Beef Bourguignon at home embodies the essence of “French slow-cooking”, where one takes their time in the kitchen and enjoys the process every step of the way. This is a recipe best suited for making on weekends, where you can devote a few hours to being home as the whole dish takes about 3 hours from start to finish. That said, Beef Bourguignon is a dish that really requires more time and patience than it does skill. It requires minimal effort and prepping, and for the rest, you can simply keep an eye on your oven while you go on with your other weekend activities.

There are no shortcuts to build this stew’s flavor, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t easily achievable by the everyday home cook. Before diving into this recipe, here are a few of my recommendations on choosing the right cut of beef, proper red wine and a few other tips to know for making a first-rate Classic French Beef Bourguignon in your own kitchen. 

What cut of beef to choose for a Beef Bourguignon? 

Probably the most important thing is to start with the right cut of beef. For a Classic French Beef Bourguignon, you want to choose a cut that is collagen-rich so it will stay juicy and tender after hours of cooking. My recommendations are:

• Beef chuck (readily available, affordable) 
• Short rib (reliable, but pricier) 
• Fatty brisket
• Outside round (relatively lean) 

No matter which cut of beef you choose, I recommend you stay away from pre-packaged, pre-cut beef. These are often lean chunks, which won’t turn tender once cooked. Instead, go to your butcher or deli stand, and make sure you ask for a piece that is well-marbled – meaning, with fatty white streaks running throughout the meat. Once home, you can start by trimming off the excess fat from the beef – but not too much. You still want some fat to make the beef tender. Then, slice the beef into 1 ½ inch chunks – no smaller, as the cubes will shrink slightly as they cook and any smaller and they won’t hold up to the hours of cooking. 

As an add-on, some recipes suggest adding a gelatin-rich pig foot (sometimes called trotter) into the sauce before it goes into the oven. The gelatin is naturally drawn out of the foot while stewing and creates a thicker, richer sauce. You can then discard of the foot or eat it.

The Maillard Reaction 

Another crucial step to building a flavorful Beef Bourguignon is the initial browning of the beef cubes. Before adding the liquids (wine/broth) and stewing the meat in the oven, the recipe will ask you to brown the beef chunks in butter and the rendered fat from the bacon strips (lardons). This step is perhaps the most tedious one in this recipe, but one you should not skip, at all costs. 

The browning of the meat occurs over medium-high heat when the beef proteins melt with natural sugar to create new molecules responsible for roasted aromas and flavors. This process, called the Maillard reaction, is essential to build flavor in a stew. It creates the hearty, rich flavors we all love in a stew.  Do not rush this step – it is very worth it. Work in several batches, making sure to not overcrowd the pan, and ensure the beef cubes bear a brown crust on both sides before starting another batch. 

The beef pieces will render juice as they cook, but if there is enough space between them – at least 1 inch – the juices will evaporate. If the pieces are too close together, the juice will surround the meat and “boil” it, resulting in greyish and rubbery beef cubes. Also, always resist the urge to stir the meat as it cooks. The piece will likely stick at first and come easily off once browned.

Which red wine to choose? 

To build the sauce of a Classic French Beef Bourguignon, a dry and fruity red wine is preferred – one ideally produced in Burgundy. My recommendations are: 

• Pinot Noir (light-bodied) 
• Gamay (light-bodied) 
• Merlot (medium-bodied) 
• Cabernet Sauvignon (full-bodied) 

The fuller the body of the wine, the deeper and richer the sauce will be. You shouldn’t necessarily reach for a pricy bottle, but one that is still drinkable – trust me, it will really make a difference. Forget the “cooking wines” from the grocery store! 

A splash of French Brandy, such as a Cognac or Armagnac, is also suggested (but not 100% required) to build extra depth of flavor. 

Can’t find “lardons”?

A Beef Bourguignon traditionally include “lardons”, which are thin strips of cured pork belly, very common and readily available in all grocery stores across France. You can make your own by slicing thick-cut bacon across the grain into short matchsticks. As a substitute, pancetta sliced in thin sticks works well too.

The Vegetables. 

Carrots, cremini or button mushrooms, pearl onions and garlic make up the simple list of vegetables found in a traditional Beef Bourguignon. Any other fixings like celery or turnips are a total faux pas. 

While the other vegetables are simply added in the sauce to stew, mushrooms are sautéed on the side, in butter, and added to the stew during the last half hour of cooking. Sautéing the mushrooms is to obtain a nice sear. You want the mushrooms to be golden and slightly caramelized, so they deliver all their flavor. If you skip this step and simply stew them in the sauce, they will turn rather rubbery and bland in flavor. 

What accompaniments? 

A Beef Bourguignon is traditionally served with boiled baby potatoes or over mashed potatoes. Although, I find it delicious served with a classic Potato Gratin Dauphinois, buttered egg noodles, white rice or even polenta. A side of sweet peas or Green Beans Almondine is lovely too. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

Absolutely, yes. In fact, many people find this dish tastes even better the next day, once the flavours have melded even further. Feel free to make this dish a day ahead and store in the fridge once completely cooled. Reheat slowly before serving.

Can I make this dish alcohol-free?

It may be possible, but unfortunately, I would not suggest it. You can skip the optional Brandy in the dish, but the red wine is the 1b to the beef’s 1a. The dish really centers around the richness and complexity (and even the colour) of the wine.

Can this dish be made without the use of pork?

Unlike the red wine, which is mandatory in my opinion, the use of pork can be optional if you prefer not to use it, or cannot use it. It does lend some delicious flavours and the trotter does naturally thicken the dish a bit, but this can be worked around. If you just don’t enjoy the taste of bacon, you can try using pancetta as an alternative.

I can’t find pearl onions, any alternatives I can use?

Before you go thinking you can’t find pearl onions, check your local grocer’s freezer! I recently found out that many grocers sell pearl onions already peeled, frozen and ready to use. If not, regular white onion can be substituted.

Audrey’s Cooking Tips: 

• To achieve this big stew, you will need a heavy bottomed Dutch-oven (about 6-quartz) that can go from the stove top to the oven. 
• Take the beef out of the fridge about 2 hours before starting cooking so it has time to come to room temperature. Make sure you pat it dry with paper towel and season it with salt and pepper beforehand as well. We want to allow enough time for the salt to penetrate deep into the meat. 
• If you do not have Brandy on hand, simply substitute with 2 extra tablespoons of wine.
• This recipe gives you 4 large servings, and if you have any leftovers, just know a Beef Bourguignon tastes even better reheated the next day. 

I hope you’ll love this Classic French Beef Bourguignon recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment! 

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Classic French Beef Bourguignon

Print Recipe

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 3 hours 3 hours

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.5/5

( 19 voted )

Ingredients

2.5 to 3 lbs (1.1-1.4 kg) stewing beef, cubed
2 tsp salt
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper 
4 tbsp (57g) unsalted butter, divided
8 ounces cured pork or 5-6 slices bacon, cut in fine strips
4 sprigs thyme
3 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
10 pearl onions, peeled
4-5 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cups (500ml) red wine
2 tbsp (30ml) brandy
2 cups (500ml) beef broth
2 tbsp (50g) tomato paste
¼ cup (32g) flour
Optional: 6-7 sprigs parsley, for garnish

For the mushrooms: 
2 tbsp (28.5g) unsalted butter 
1lb (0.45kg) cremini mushrooms, quartered
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Step 1 - About 2 hours before cooking, pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season them well with salt and black pepper. Let rest to near room temperature.

Step 2 - On the stove top over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a Dutch-oven. Add the bacon strips and cook for about 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked and lightly crisp. Set aside, leaving the fat drippings in the Dutch-Oven. 

Pre-heat your oven to 325°F ( 163°C) with a rack in the middle. 

Step 3 - Working in batches, add the beef cubes to the Dutch-oven and brown them, about 3 minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcrowd or overlap any meat cubes or they won’t brown properly. It should take about 3 to 4 batches to brown 2 ½ lbs of beef.  Transfer the browned beef to a separate bowl or plate.

Step 4 - Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the Dutch-oven and add the garlic, carrots, pearl onions, thyme and bay leaves. Cook for 6-7 minutes, until the onions are glistening.

Step 5 - Add the beef and bacon back in the Dutch-oven. Add the tomato paste and sprinkle with the flour. Stir all the ingredients until no dry flour is visible. Pour in the red wine, brandy and beef stock so the meat is barely covered. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes in the oven. 

While the stew cooks in the oven - Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, season to taste with salt and black pepper, and cook for about 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked and lightly browned. 

Take the Beef Bourguignon out of the oven and stir in the mushrooms. Return the pot to the oven for 30 more minutes. Take the Beef Bourguignon out of the oven, adjust seasoning if needed (salt, pepper). Let the Beef Bourguignon sit for 15 minutes before serving.