France • Regional Dish • Stew

French Beef Bourguignon

Beef braises slowly in red wine with bacon, onions and mushrooms until the sauce turns dark, glossy and deeply savory.

Servings6

Prep Time25 min

Cook Time165 min

DifficultyModerate

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Ingredients

US Metric

2 1/2 lb braising beef, cut into large cubes

5 oz smoked bacon or lardons

9 oz pearl onions, peeled

9 oz button mushrooms, halved

2 carrots, sliced

1 yellow onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbsp plus 2 tsp plain flour

3 cups dry red wine

1 cup beef stock

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

2 thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1.2 kg braising beef, cut into large cubes

150 g smoked bacon or lardons

250 g pearl onions, peeled

250 g button mushrooms, halved

2 carrots, sliced

1 yellow onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

20 g plain flour

750 ml dry red wine

250 ml beef stock

15 g tomato paste

30 ml olive oil

15 g butter

2 thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

8 g salt

3 g black pepper

10 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Instructions

Pat the beef dry and season it with the salt and pepper. Heat a heavy casserole over medium heat. Cook the bacon for 5 minutes until lightly crisp, then lift it out and leave the fat in the pot.
Add the olive oil if needed. Brown the beef in batches for 6 to 8 minutes per batch until well coloured on several sides. Do not crowd the pan, or the meat will steam. Transfer to a plate.
Add the sliced onion and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute more.
Pour in the red wine and stock. Scrape the bottom of the pot well. Return the beef and bacon to the casserole. Add the thyme and bay leaf.
Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours, stirring once or twice. The liquid should bubble softly, not boil.
Melt the butter in a frying pan. Cook the pearl onions for 8 minutes until glossy and lightly golden. Add the mushrooms and cook for 6 minutes until browned at the edges.
Add the onions and mushrooms to the casserole. Simmer uncovered for 25 to 35 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the beef lightly. The meat should yield easily to a spoon but still hold its shape.
Remove the thyme and bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning. Scatter over the parsley and serve hot.

Cultural Context

Beef bourguignon comes from Burgundy, where red wine doesn’t politely join the dish. It runs the meeting. At its core, this is a slow braise of beef, wine, pork, onions and mushrooms, cooked until the sauce deepens and the meat gives up gracefully. Traditional versions vary. Some marinate the beef first with wine, onions and herbs; others go straight to browning and braising. The cuts change too, usually sturdy braising cuts built for patience. What matters is the red-wine base, slow cooking and controlled garnish. That’s what keeps it classic, not just beef stew wearing a French beret.

Fun Fact

The term à la bourguignonne predates the dish’s modern fame and points to broader Burgundy-style red wine cooking.

Cook’s Tip

Use chuck, blade or stewing beef if paleron or macreuse are not available. Choose a dry red with moderate tannin, not something sweet or heavily oaked.

Trivia

The first documented evidence of boeuf bourguignon in a restaurant dates to 1878, according to historical timelines of the dish.

About This Recipe

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French Beef Bourguignon

Instructions

Cultural Context

Fun Fact

Cook’s Tip

Trivia

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