Beef bourguignon is basically Burgundian patience in a pot, and it is one of the Honest Cooking team’s favorite French classics. Cubes of chuck braised in a full bottle of dry red wine with lardons, mushrooms, and pearl onions until everything turns soft and deeply savory. It takes three hours minimum, and there’s no way to rush it. This is Sunday cooking, ideally you start in the afternoon while you do other things, checking in occasionally to make sure the braise is bubbling gently. When everyone sits down at the dinner table, the patience pays off.
Use wine you’d actually drink (Burgundy or Pinot Noir), and sear the beef in small batches so it browns instead of steaming. Lesson learned. The mushrooms and pearl onions get cooked separately and added at the end so they keep their texture. Serve over mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or with a lot of bread. It’s even better the next day after the flavors have married, and it freezes well for up to three months.
How to Make Classic Beef Bourguignon
Sear the Meat Properly
Pat beef cubes completely dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Render bacon fat in a Dutch oven, then sear the beef in small batches over medium-high heat until deeply browned on all sides. Crowding the pot drops the temperature and causes steaming instead of searing. Each batch needs three to four minutes per side to develop the mahogany crust that provides the foundation of flavor for the entire dish.
Build and Braise the Stew
Sauté the aromatic vegetables in the rendered fat, then add tomato paste and flour to create body. Pour in an entire bottle of red wine and beef stock, scraping up every bit of fond from the bottom. Return the beef and bacon to the pot with a bouquet garni. Cover and transfer to a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven. Braise for two and a half to three and a half hours until fork-tender.
Finish with Garnishes
While the beef braises, sauté mushrooms in butter until golden and simmer pearl onions in butter and water until tender. These garnishes are cooked separately to preserve their texture. When the beef is done, stir in the mushrooms and onions. If the sauce is too thin, reduce it on the stovetop. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving over buttered egg noodles or crusty bread.
Classic: Beef Bourguignon
Total Time: 180 minutes
Yield: 6 servings 1x
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Description
Beef Bourguignon is the dish that turned Julia Child into a household name in America, but it had been the backbone of Burgundian farmhouse cooking for centuries before that. It is a braise of tough beef transformed by red wine, lardons, mushrooms, and pearl onions into something impossibly tender and deeply savory. This is patient cooking — the kind of dish that rewards you for giving it time.
Ingredients
Units
- 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 1 bottle (750ml) dry red Burgundy or Pinot Noir
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 bouquet garni (thyme, parsley, bay leaf, tied with twine)
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 8 ounces pearl onions, peeled
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. This is essential — wet meat will steam rather than sear.
- Cook the diced bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the beef in the bacon fat over medium-high heat until deeply browned on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside with the bacon.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and carrots to the pot and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute until the paste darkens slightly.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the entire bottle of wine and the beef stock, scraping up every bit of fond from the bottom of the pot. Return the beef and bacon to the pot. Add the bouquet garni. The liquid should nearly cover the meat.
- Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to a 325°F oven. Braise for 2.5 to 3.5 hours until the beef is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened.
- While the beef braises, prepare the garnish. Sauté the mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of butter over high heat until golden, about 5 minutes. In a separate pan, brown the pearl onions in the remaining butter over medium heat, then add 1/2 cup of water, cover, and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Discard the bouquet garni. Stir in the sautéed mushrooms and pearl onions. If the sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered on the stovetop for 10-15 minutes to reduce.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve in warmed bowls over buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread, garnished with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Use a full bottle of good wine you would actually drink — the quality of the wine is the quality of the sauce. Avoid anything labeled cooking wine.
- This dish is even better the next day after the flavors have had time to deepen and meld in the refrigerator overnight.
- Searing the beef in small batches is tedious but non-negotiable. Crowding the pot drops the temperature and causes the meat to steam and turn gray.
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
Frequently Asked Questions
Why use a full bottle of wine?
The wine is not just a flavoring agent but the primary cooking liquid. As it reduces during braising, its acidity and tannins tenderize the meat while the alcohol cooks off, leaving concentrated flavor. Use wine you would actually drink, not cooking wine.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes, and it improves overnight. The flavors deepen and meld in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in a low oven. Many cooks insist bourguignon is better on the second day.
What cut of beef works best?
Beef chuck is ideal because it has enough connective tissue to become tender and silky during long braising. Leaner cuts like sirloin will dry out. The marbling and collagen in chuck are essential for the proper texture.
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