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This easy Beef Bourguignon recipe is a melt-in-your-mouth, classic French stew made with tender chunks of beef chuck, bacon, and vegetables braised in red wine to make a simple, any time dinner that’s impressive enough to serve for special occasions, too.
Thanks to Julia Child and Ina Garten, this classic French beef stew is familiar to many home cooks, yet, I still don’t hear much about many people actually cooking it. And no matter how many times I make it myself, I’ll probably never be able to spell bourguignon without Googling it.
Beef Bourguignon is really just a fancy name for an easy-to-make, humble dinner that tastes anything but.
The flavor of this boeuf bourguignon recipe is deep, rich, and beyond luxurious. Which is ironic since under the lid of this cast iron, one-pot, dutch oven meal that starts on the stove top and finishes off in the oven, is just a good old-fashioned beef stew with red wine that even the most novice of home cooks will revel in the glory of.
Even better, Beef Bourguignon’s flavors deepen over time, making it the perfect recipe to make a day ahead, or even two, then rewarm to serve. That step in itself makes this beef bourguignonrecipe an awesome option for holiday dinners (I’m serving it for Christmas Eve), or as your secret weapon to simply get through winter with your comfort food cravings cured.
It really is THAT special.Plan on putting this recipe on repeat.
It comes from the Staub Cookbook: Modern Recipes for Classic Cast Iron. Staub enameled cast-iron dutch ovens are part of my kitchen essentials list, so when I received this cookbook, it quickly became copiously tagged with loads of amazing recipes I want to make. It’s filled with over 100 classic recipes made with cast-iron cookers that can be made any time of year.
My first foray into the cookbook was this beef bourguignon. And I can confirm, it’s a crowd pleaser no matter how big your party.
What’s in This Beef Bourguignon?
Beef is far from the only flavor builder in this stew. In fact, the vegetables nearly steal the show:
- Onion
- Carrot
- Celery
- Mushrooms (and loads of them!)
- Garlic
- Fresh thyme
The other key ingredients you’ll need for this beef burgundy recipe include:
- All-purpose flour
- Bacon
- Cognac
- Tomato paste
- Red wine
- Beef stock
- Brown sugar
What’s the Best Meat for BeefBourguignon?
Beef chuck is one of the best meats for beef bourguignon—or really for any stew. It’s ribboned with fat, and fat equals flavor plus tenderness. It browns well and holds up to the longer cooking time to become incredibly tender.
see more:30 Days of Soups, Stews, and Chilis Made to Keep Winter Warm
How to Make Beef Bourguignon
The stew starts with crisping bacon from a cold cast-iron dutch oven for a salted depth of flavor. This method ensures the bacon doesn’t become chalky and brittle or lend a burned taste instead of its pure, bacon flavor.
The beef chuck is then seared in the bacon renderings, and is just the beginning of layers of amazing flavor.
Dice the celery, onion, and carrots to the same size so they cook evenly. Because the mushrooms are softer, they will cook faster so can be cut larger—that’s the way I like them.
Because the meat is removed from the pot before the vegetables are cooked until soft, they hold their shape and don’t turn into mush. Then it’s their turn to leave the pan so the deglazing can begin.
see more:31 Days of Comfort Food Favorites to Make Now
Bourguignon refers to Burgundy, France, so naturally there is red wine, and it’s what distinguishes this stew from any other. But it isn’t the wine that deglazes the Staub cast iron coquette. Cognac is what does this job, for adding a sweetness to the sauce.
Once that’s done, stir in the tomato paste, wine, stock, thyme, brown sugar, and a pig pinch of salt and pepper. Then, add the beef, bacon, and veggies back to the pot.
The stew starts on the stove to brown and deglaze, and is finished in the oven for a braise to cook down and allow the flavors to meld together for a sauce like no other. Sprinkle with fresh parsley just before serving, if desired.
see more:20 Recipes You Can Make with A Pound of Ground Beef (It’s What’s for Dinner)
What’s the Best Wine for Beef Bourguignon?
I recommend using a dry red wine for this beef burgundy recipe, such as a pinot noir or Malbec. Use a red wine you’d actually like to drink, not a cooking wine.
Can I Prep Beef Bourguignon in Advance?
Yes. In fact, this dish’s flavors deepen over time. Cook it in its entirety one or two days before serving, refrigerate and rewarm to serve. Or, cook through the stovetop steps a day or two ahead then finish in the oven the day you’d like to serve.
see more:20 One-Pot Wonder Meals—They’re What’s for Dinner
Tips for Making Beef Bourguignon
Brandy can be used instead of Cognac, but know that all Cognacs are brandies, but not all brandies are Cognacs.The alcohol evaporates as it cooks and while you could skip the cognac, don’t substitute for the red wine or you’ll truly miss what makes this stew special.
Be sure to use a good quality bacon in this boeuf bourguignon recipe. You want pork bacon that doesn’t have any added flavorings.
While you can make the recipe in a slow cooker or Instant Pot, I’ve found the 1 ½ to 2 hour braise in the cast iron pot delivers a depth and richness that’s hard to recreate with other cooking methods.So for this one, I’m sticking with the braise.
What to Serve With Beef Bourguignon
This stew can easily be served all on its own, it’s a true meal all in one. But I like to serve it along side a few other veggie sides, like:
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe — How To Make The Best!
- Mashed Cauliflower With Parmesan And Chives
- Buttermilk Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- Avocado Grapefruit and Fennel Salad
- Easy Green Beans With Browned Butter Almondine
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below, or take a photo andtag me on Instagramwith #foodiecrusheats
4.34 from 89 votes
Beef Bourguignon
This easy Beef Bourguignon recipe is a melt-in-your-mouth, classic French stew made with tender chunks of beef chuck, bacon, and vegetables braised in red wine to make a simple, any time dinner that’s impressive enough to serve for special occasions, too.
Course Main Course
Cuisine French
Keyword bourguignon
Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
Total Time 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes
Servings 8
Calories 527kcal
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds boneless beef chuck , trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 8 ounces bacon , diced
- 1 yellow onion , diced
- 6 carrots , diced
- 4 celery stalks , diced
- 1 pound cremini or button mushroom , sliced
- 4 cloves garlic , pressed or minced
- ½ cup cognac
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups dry red wine , such as Pinot Noir
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- Chopped fresh Italian parsley , for serving
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Add the beef to a large mixing bowl and season it with the salt and pepper then toss with the flour. Set aside.
In a large cast-iron cocotte dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium-low heat until the edges of the bacon are crispy. Remove the bacon to a large bowl, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
Increase the heat to medium high. Add the beef to the fat in the pan and brown it on all sides. Remove the beef rom the pan to the bowl with the bacon.
Add the onions, carrots, celery, and mushrooms to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, or until aromatic. Remove the vegetables from the pan to the bowl with the beef.
Deglaze the pan with the cognac and cook until reduced by half, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.
Stir in the tomato paste then add the wine, stock, thyme, brown sugar, and a pig pinch of salt an pepper. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat.
Return the bacon, beef, and vegetable stop the pot, cover, and place in the oven.
Cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours in the preheated oven, until the beef is fork-tender. Remove from the oven, and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Serve garnished with parsley over my favorite mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower.
Notes
- Use a good quality red wine you would actually want to drink. It doesn't have to be expensive to be good. I've used a pinot noir and Malbec before, with both adding the rich flavor this dish is known for.
- If you don't have cognac, you can leave it out if you'd like.
- This dish's flavors deepen over time. Cook it in it's entirety one or two days before serving, refrigerate and rewarm to serve. Or, cook through the stovetop steps a day or two ahead then finish in the oven the day you'd like to serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 527kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 620mg | Potassium: 1016mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 7723IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 4mg
More Favorite Stew-ish Dinners to Make Now
- Butternut Squash Beef Stew (Instant Pot, Pressure Cooker Or Slow Cooker)
- Chicken, Crab And Andouille Sausage Gumbo Recipe
- Lemon Chicken Stew
- Irish Pork Stew With Stout And Caraway Seeds
- 30 Days Of Soups, Stews, And Chilis Made To Keep Winter Warm
Tools You’ll Need to Make This Recipe
- Staub Cookbook: Modern Recipes for Classic Cast Iron— I’ve given a copy of the book with a Staub dutch oven as a wedding gift
- Staub 7 Qt. Cast Enamel Dutch Oven— available in every color
- Zwilling Pro 8-inch Chef’s Knife(I can’t cook without it!)
- My favorite garlic press—and it’s the cheapest I’ve ever found.
Are you a braiser? What are your tips for braising in the oven or your favorite thing to cook? Tell us more in the comments below.
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