Beef Bourguignon (Beef Burgundy)
Recipe video above. Considered by many to be the mother of all stews, Beef Bourguignon is a French dish made with beef, bacon lardons, carrots, onions and mushrooms slow-cooked in a rich red wine sauce. For the most magnificent stew of your life, start this 2 days before you plan to serve it, do not shortcut pan roasting ingredients individually, and use homemade beef stock if you can!
- Prep time
- 40 min
- Cook time
- 2 hr 30 min
- Yield
- 5 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 800g/ 1.6 lb chuck beef (, cut in 4-5 cm / 2” cubes (Note 1))
- 2 large carrots ((~300g/10oz), cut on an angle into 4-5 cm / 2” pieces)
- 16 pearl onions or small, round pickling onions ((Note 2))
- 1 bay leaf (, fresh (sub: dried))
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 750ml/ 25 oz pinot noir or other red wine ((Note 3))
- 3 tbsp oil (, olive, canola or vegetable)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 200g/ 7oz mushrooms (, halved (quarters if large))
- 150g/ 5oz bacon piece (, cut into 1cm / 1/2” thick batons (Note 4))
- 50g/3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves (, minced)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 6 tbsp flour (, plain/all purpose)
- 3 cups beef stock (low sodium)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley (, for garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Marinate beef: Place the Beef Marinade ingredients in a large, non-reactive ceramic dish or ziplock bag. Marinate overnight in the fridge (minimum 12 hours, maximum 24 hours).
- 2
Strain liquid into a bowl, reserve marinade. Separate the beef, carrots and onion.
- 3
Reduce wine: Pour red wine into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Simmer vigorously, skimming off any impurities that rise to the surface, until reduced by half. Set aside.
- 4
Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan).
- 5
Dry beef: Line a tray with paper towels, spread beef out, then pat dry with paper towels.
- 6
Season beef: Sprinkle beef with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- 7
Brown beef: Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large, heavy-based, oven-proof pot over high heat. Add 1/3 beef and brown aggressively all over. Remove into bowl, then repeat with remaining beef, adding more oil if needed.
- 8
Fry bacon: Add bacon and cook for 3 minutes until golden. Add to bowl with beef.
- 9
Sauté mushrooms: Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, or until golden. Remove into a new bowl.
- 10
Sauté onion: Add a bit of extra oil if needed, then cook onions for 5 minutes or until there are nice golden patches. Add to bowl with mushrooms.
- 11
Sauté carrot: Add butter into pot. Once melted, add carrot and cook for 3 - 4 minutes until there are golden patches. Add garlic and cook for a further 1 minute.
- 12
Tomato paste: Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
- 13
Flour: Add flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- 14
Add wine and stock: While stirring, slowly pour in beef stock – this helps the flour dissolve lump-free into the stock. Then add wine and mix until flour mixture is dissolved and mostly lump-free (Note 6).
- 15
Add beef into pot: Add beef, bacon, thyme, bay leaf, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper into the pot, then stir well.
- 16
Oven 1 hour: Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven for 1 hour. (Note 7)
- 17
Mushrooms and onion: Remove from oven, stir in mushrooms and onion.
- 18
Oven 1½ hours: Cover with lid and return to oven for 1½ hours, or until beef is "fall-apart tender".
- 19
Adjust salt: Remove from oven, taste sauce and add salt if needed. (Note 8 - important!)
- 20
Leave overnight (recommended): If time permits, leave the stew overnight before serving because as with all stews, it gets better with time! Reheat gently on a low stove.
- 21
Serve over mashed potato – Essential for mopping up every drop of that amazing sauce!