Beef bourguignon is the classic French beef stew from Burgundy: chunks of chuck or brisket browned with bacon, then braised slowly in red wine and beef stock with carrots, onions, garlic, thyme and bay leaves until fall-apart tender, and finished with buttery sautéed mushrooms. It takes 210 minutes, mostly hands-off in the oven, and serves 6.
How to make it: Crisp the bacon in a Dutch oven, then sear the dried, seasoned beef in batches. Soften the carrot, onion and garlic, return the meat, dust with flour and add the wine, stock, tomato paste, bouillon, thyme and bay leaves. Cover and braise at 350°F for 2 to 3 hours. Strain and skim the sauce, add garlicky mushrooms and serve over mashed potatoes or noodles.
Why You’ll Love It
- Restaurant-quality stew: rich, glossy red wine sauce and meltingly tender beef.
- Mostly hands-off: the oven does the work for hours.
- Better the next day: perfect for making ahead.
- Special-occasion comfort food: great for holidays and dinner parties.
Is Beef Bourguignon a Stew?
Yes. It’s a braised beef stew, named for the Burgundy region of France, where it’s traditionally made with the area’s red wine. What sets it apart from an everyday beef stew is the wine: most of the braising liquid is red wine, which gives the sauce its deep color and flavor. Bacon, pearl onions and mushrooms are the classic additions. You may also see it spelled bourguignonne, or searched for as “beef burgundy.”
Ingredient Notes
Beef: 3 pounds of brisket, chuck or stewing beef cut into 2-inch chunks. Chuck has the connective tissue that melts into tender meat.
Bacon: 6 ounces, chopped. Its fat browns the beef.
Red wine: 3 cups of a dry red like Pinot Noir, Merlot or Chianti. Use one you’d drink.
Beef stock: 2 to 3 cups, enough to barely cover the meat, plus a crushed bouillon cube and 2 tablespoons of tomato paste for depth.
Vegetables and herbs: 1 large carrot, 1 large onion, 6 garlic cloves, 12 optional pearl onions, fresh thyme, bay leaves and parsley.
Mushrooms: 1 pound, quartered and sautéed in 2 tablespoons of butter at the end so they stay golden.
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Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 oz bacon, roughly chopped
- 3 lb beef brisket, chuck steak or stewing beef, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 large carrot, sliced ½-inch thick
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced, divided
- 1 pinch coarse salt
- 1 pinch ground pepper
- 2 tbsp flour
- 12 pearl onions (optional)
- 3 cups red wine (Merlot, Pinot Noir or Chianti)
- 2-3 cups beef stock, enough to barely cover the meat
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cube beef bouillon, crushed
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 lb white or brown mushrooms, quartered
- 2 tbsp butter, for the mushrooms
How to Make Beef Bourguignon
1. Crisp the bacon. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and sauté for about 3 minutes until it’s crispy and browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
2. Sear the beef. Pat the beef chunks dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Sear the beef in batches in the hot oil and bacon fat until browned on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the beef and place it on the plate with the bacon.
3. Cook the vegetables. In the same pot, add the sliced carrots and diced onions. Sauté for about 3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant. Drain any excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.
4. Add the flour. Return the bacon and seared beef to the pot with the vegetables. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over the mixture, tossing well to coat the meat and vegetables. Let cook for 4-5 minutes to brown slightly.
5. Add the liquid. Add the pearl onions (if using), red wine, and enough beef stock so that the meat is barely covered. Stir in tomato paste, crushed beef bouillon cube, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer on the stove.
6. Braise. Cover the pot with a lid and transfer it to the lower part of the oven. Let it cook for 2 to 3 hours or until the meat is fall-apart tender. Check occasionally to ensure the liquid is simmering very slowly—adjust the heat if needed.
7. Sauté the mushrooms. In the last 5 minutes of the cooking time, prepare the mushrooms. Melt butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. When the butter begins to foam, add the remaining 2 cloves of minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the quartered mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes until browned. Set aside.
8. Strain. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and carefully pour its contents into a colander set over a large pot to separate the sauce from the meat and vegetables. Discard the bay leaves and any other herb sprigs.
9. Combine. Return the beef, bacon, and vegetables back into the Dutch oven. Skim off any excess fat from the sauce and pour it back over the meat mixture. Add the prepared mushrooms on top of the meat.
10. Finish the sauce. Simmer the sauce for a minute or two to heat through, skimming off any additional fat that rises to the surface. Adjust the consistency by adding a few tablespoons of stock if the sauce is too thick, or simmer longer if too thin.
11. Serve. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve the Beef Bourguignon hot over mashed potatoes, rice, or buttered egg noodles.
Tips for the Best Beef Bourguignon
- Dry the beef. Wet meat won’t brown, and browning is where the flavor starts.
- Sear in batches. A crowded pot steams the beef.
- Use a wine you’d drink. The sauce tastes like the wine you use.
- Keep it at a bare simmer. Boiling makes the meat tough and stringy.
- Cook the mushrooms separately. They stay golden instead of turning soft and gray.
- Make it a day ahead. The flavors deepen overnight, and the fat is easy to lift off once chilled.
Can You Freeze Beef Bourguignon?
Yes, it freezes very well. Cool it completely, then freeze it in airtight containers, leaving a little room at the top. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stove until it reaches 165°F. Add a splash of stock if the sauce has thickened.
Variations
- Slow cooker: brown everything on the stove, then cook on LOW until tender.
- Without wine: use all beef stock plus a splash of red wine vinegar; the flavor will be lighter.
- Potatoes: add baby potatoes for the last hour to make it a one-pot meal.
- Fresh herbs: tie thyme sprigs, parsley stems and bay leaves into a bundle for easy removal.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove until it reaches 165°F.
What to Serve With It
Serve it over mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles or rice, with crusty bread for the sauce and a green salad.
More beef comfort food: homemade beef stroganoff, melt in your mouth beef tips with mushroom gravy, slow cooker pot roast with gravy, slow cooker Amish beef and noodles, dark beer beef roast and slow cooker corned beef.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cut of beef is best for beef bourguignon?
Chuck is the classic choice; brisket and stewing beef work too.
Can I make it without wine?
Yes, with all beef stock and a splash of vinegar, though the flavor won’t be the same.
Can you freeze beef bourguignon?
Yes. Freeze it in airtight containers and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Is beef bourguignon a stew?
Yes, a French beef stew braised in red wine.
Why is my beef tough?
It needs more time, or it boiled instead of simmering gently.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Final Notes
Dry and sear the beef well, braise it gently and cook the mushrooms separately. If you make it a day ahead or try the slow cooker version, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Beef Bourguignon
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Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 oz bacon roughly chopped
- 3 lb beef brisket, chuck steak, or stewing beef cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 large carrot sliced ½-inch thick
- 1 large white onion diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced, divided
- 1 pinch coarse salt
- 1 pinch ground pepper
- 2 tbsp flour for thickening the stew
- 12 pearl onions optional
- 3 cups red wine like Merlot, Pinot Noir, or Chianti
- 2-3 cups beef stock enough to barely cover the meat
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cube beef bouillon crushed
- 1 tsp fresh thyme finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped, divided
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 lb white or brown mushrooms quartered
- 2 tbsp butter for sautéing mushrooms
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and sauté for about 3 minutes until it’s crispy and browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
- Pat the beef chunks dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Sear the beef in batches in the hot oil and bacon fat until browned on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the beef and place it on the plate with the bacon.
- In the same pot, add the sliced carrots and diced onions. Sauté for about 3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant. Drain any excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.
- Return the bacon and seared beef to the pot with the vegetables. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over the mixture, tossing well to coat the meat and vegetables. Let cook for 4-5 minutes to brown slightly.
- Add the pearl onions (if using), red wine, and enough beef stock so that the meat is barely covered. Stir in tomato paste, crushed beef bouillon cube, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer on the stove.
- Cover the pot with a lid and transfer it to the lower part of the oven. Let it cook for 2 to 3 hours or until the meat is fall-apart tender. Check occasionally to ensure the liquid is simmering very slowly—adjust the heat if needed.
- In the last 5 minutes of the cooking time, prepare the mushrooms. Melt butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. When the butter begins to foam, add the remaining 2 cloves of minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the quartered mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes until browned. Set aside.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and carefully pour its contents into a colander set over a large pot to separate the sauce from the meat and vegetables. Discard the bay leaves and any other herb sprigs.
- Return the beef, bacon, and vegetables back into the Dutch oven. Skim off any excess fat from the sauce and pour it back over the meat mixture. Add the prepared mushrooms on top of the meat.
- Simmer the sauce for a minute or two to heat through, skimming off any additional fat that rises to the surface. Adjust the consistency by adding a few tablespoons of stock if the sauce is too thick, or simmer longer if too thin.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve the Beef Bourguignon hot over mashed potatoes, rice, or buttered egg noodles.
Notes
Nutrition
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Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
