Beef Bourguignon Recipe

Beef Bourguignon is a classic dish that originated in the Burgundy region of eastern France. It quickly became my favorite comfort food. The recipe is rich in textures and flavors, the meat is super moist, and the veggies are perfectly cooked. I have also included a short video on how to prepare this dish.

This is a fancy name, but don’t let it scare you. This recipe is easy to make, and it does not cost a lot of money. It is a French dish that became an American comfort food and a tradition in my home for fall evenings. I love a bowl of this with some French bread and a salad, although the traditional way to serve it is on a bed of mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice. This dish is exceptional, with lots of tender veggies, moist beef that melts in your mouth, and a beef broth made with red wine. 

Beef Bourguignon will quickly become a staple dish in your house. It is inspired by French cuisine and is nothing short of amazing. If you love the original recipe of Julia Child, you will also love this one!  It is purely delicious, full of tender and moist meat, that has been cooked in a red wine broth.

Taken over the top with a wonderful addition of bacon for a smoky aroma and tantalizing taste. It is hearty, a bit sweet, tangy, and rich with beefy meat and thick broth, perfect for soaking up with soft dinner rolls. 

Also, lots of tender veggies and fragrant herbs were added, to elevate the flavors of this dish. The beef is so tender it actually melts in your mouth. The veggies are perfectly done, and the red wine really brings out the deep and rich flavor in the sauce. All in all, this is a hearty meal that should be on your must-try list!

With the colder weather season upon us, this is the perfect dish to indulge in. If you crave delicious and tender beef recipes, I suggest you also check the Slow-Cooker Corned Beef, Balsamic Pot Roast, and Slow-Cooker Yankee Roast.

Why you will love this recipe

• Because it is easy: With such a fancy dish, you may expect it to be difficult. But this is simple with step-by-step easy-to-follow instructions.
• It is not expensive: You can save money making this dish at home, too, rather than going out to a restaurant. The ingredients are inexpensive to buy: beef chuck, basic red wine, and common veggies. The rest are just basics that are probably already in your kitchen, like broth, butter, flour, and herbs.
• Very little cleanup: Just the pot to cook it in and one pan to saute the mushrooms.
• It can be frozen – Another benefit of this wonderful recipe is that it can easily be doubled or tripled, and the leftovers can be frozen for several months. In fact, I like to freeze mine in small containers so I can take them out as I need them for individual meals.

What you’ll need to make beef bourguignon

Special items:

• Dutch oven – For cooking the stew.
• Large skillet – To saute the mushrooms.
• Bowls
• Cooking utensils

Ingredients:

• Extra virgin olive oil – Use a high-quality oil to make sure it does not leave any oily residue or aftertaste.
• Thick sliced bacon – This is traditionally supposed to be made with lardons, which are ¼ inch pieces of fatty pork belly cut into long thin strips like match strips. Pancetta can also be used.
• Chuck beef – Cut into two-inch chunks. Other cuts of beef that can be used include round roast, cheek, brisket, and other tough cuts with lots of marbled fat.
• Carrots – I like to use medium carrots, peeled and rinsed, cut into one-inch chunks.
• Baby Bella mushrooms – Only the tops, chopped into quarters for the best flavor.
• Pearl onions – These sweet little bundles are so much better than the larger ones because they are bite-sized and fit on a fork to pop them into your mouth with the other veggies and meat.
• Sweet onions – To go along with the pearl onions. If there are too many onions for you, leave these out and use just pearl onions.
• Softened unsalted butter – Use unsalted real butter to get the full flavor of the sweet garlic without any salt to mess it up.
• Garlic – Use a garlic press to crush the garlic to get the best taste. It is much more robust and intense this way.
• Red wine – Get the kind that you like since you’ll be the one eating it. But do not spend a lot of money because the cheaper brands taste just as good.
• Beef broth – Low-sodium organic beef broth is perfect for this recipe to add flavor without adding extra salt and preservatives.
• Tomato paste – Enriches the broth and adds thickness as well as giving it a touch of sweetness.
• All-purpose flour – Adds a little something extra to thicken the sauce with some gluten to provide structure without any flavor to take away from the other ingredients.
• Bay leaves – Gives this dish a fresh pungent taste similar to oregano or thyme with a hint of pine.
• Fresh thyme – A touch of floral, lemony taste with a hint of rosemary or lavender.
• Dried thyme – I use this to add notes of peppery sweetness, wood, citrus, and mint.
• Dried parsley – For a fresh and clean taste with a hint of peppery earthiness.
• Salt and Pepper

How to make beef bourguignon?

1. Saute the bacon: First, saute the bacon in a Dutch oven on medium-high heat for about three minutes. When it is golden brown and crispy, remove it and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
2. Brown the beef: Now, cut the beef into two-inch chunks and season with salt and pepper. Please place them in the bacon grease at the bottom of the Dutch oven. Brown on each side for about four minutes. Work in batches if needed. Continue until all the beef is done, placing it on the paper towel-lined plate with the bacon as you go.
3. Deglaze and cook veggies: Next, add a quarter cup of red wine to the pot to deglaze it before adding the carrots and onions. Stir and cook them for three to four minutes. Pour the garlic right back in and cook until fragrant, about one minute.
4. Start cooking: Put the beef and bacon back where it goes in the Dutch oven and stir. Then sprinkle in the dried thyme and parsley. Add tomato paste and stir to continue. Pour in the rest of the wine and the beef broth, one cup at a time, just enough to cover the beef.
5. Saute mushrooms: After, in a large skillet on medium heat, melt butter and saute mushrooms for five minutes. Add the flour and stir well. It will be dry but make sure it absorbs all the butter.
6. Bake the stew: Then, stir the flour mixture, mushrooms, and pearl onions. Stir it well and bring it to a simmer. Add the bay leaves and thyme sprigs on top and cover the pot. Bake for 75 to 90 minutes or until the meat and veggies are very tender when pierced with a fork. 
7. Rest and serve: Finally, let the stew rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Expert tip

Making the best beef bourguignon

First, use the right cut of beef. I prefer chuck roast. Second, use the right pork lardon. Not just bacon. Try to find pork lardon or slabs of bacon that can be cut into half-inch strips. Then, the next most important thing is the wine. There are quite a few to choose from and many people think they are experts on this. I say, get what you like. Here are some varieties for under $20 that taste great. Pinot noir, burgundy, red zinfandel, chianti, and cabernet sauvignon.

Another important thing is always to brown the beef. Never skip this step. With so many different flavors in a dish like this, each ingredient needs to do its best to stand out. Caramelizing the meat not only browns it, but it locks in the juices and adds flavor. Do not skip the deglazing step either. This allows you to get the brown bits off the bottom of the pan so they do not turn into black bits, which will cause a bitter flavor.

Another tip that may be skipped is to press the garlic instead of mincing it. Sure, mincing it is nice and gives you nice big chunks of garlic but crushing it in a press brings out so much more flavor. Try it and it will be the only way you want to do it from now on. Finally, remember to make it ahead a day or two so it has time to develop the best flavors. The ingredients meld together so everything smells and tastes better.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Different meat: For a different taste, try making this with turkey, pork, or chicken.
• Make it spicy: Chop up some poblano peppers and toss in some cayenne pepper to heat up this beef bourguignon.
• Sweeten it up: Alternatively, for the sweet food lover, add a quarter cup of brown sugar, a teaspoon of cinnamon, and some honey for a sweet and savory taste.
• More veggies: There is always room for more veggies. Add some of your favorites like corn, peas, bell peppers, asparagus, and broccoli.
• No bacon: If bacon is not your thing, skip it. Or replace it with something else like ham or pancetta.
• Instant Pot: Making beef bourguignon in the Instant Pot is a great alternative to the traditional version. It will be cooked in a fraction of time, so it’s definitely worth the try. Try this delicious Instant Pot beef bourguignon.

Serving suggestions:

• Serve with a loaf of crusty bread to soak up the thick delicious broth. Try my homemade Amish bread recipe.
• This is traditionally served on top of mashed potatoes. Whether they are chunky, smooth, mashed, fried, or even baked potatoes, ladle some of this beef bourguignon on top of it and take it to the next level.
• Another way to serve this savory stew is on top of rice. My instant pot stick of butter rice would be the perfect choice for this.
• Pasta is another delicious way to serve beef bourguignon. It just seems to go with these starchy foods so well, I prefer thick egg noodles with this homemade beef bourguignon.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best cut of beef for beef bourguignon?

The cut that I use and the one I recommend is chuck roast. Something that is marbled but tough that will become tender as it cooks. Other options include bottom round roast, top round, beef cheek, brisket, heel, or shin. Always look for a cut of beef that has a lot of white streaks of fat in it. This is what helps keep it moist and tender as it cooks. Please do not use the leaner (or more expensive) cuts as they will end up being chewy and tough.

What can I use to replace wine in beef bourguignon?

Because this dish comes from the Burgundy area of the eastern section of France, it is no surprise that beef bourguignon uses almost a whole bottle of delicious red wine. However, it can be substituted with an alcohol-free version of red wine easily if you are looking for something without alcohol. Using half red wine vinegar with half water will offer very similar results as well. Balsamic vinegar will work too but add water to thin it out. Other excellent choices include grape juice, pomegranate juice, or cranberry juice.

Why is my beef bourguignon so bitter?

This typically happens when the food is overcooked. The red wine can become bitter if it simmers for too long, depending on the type used. Also, overcooking the meat can make the fat render, which will give it a bitter flavor. Using a temperature that is too high can also create burned black bits in the bottom of the pan that get mixed in. They are very bitter. Add a bit of sugar or honey to sweeten it up. Or try my plum jam recipe. It only needs three ingredients and is super easy to make.

How do I thicken my beef bourguignon?

There are several ways to thicken the sauce, such as roux, puree, or slurry. I would try the roux first. Just mix equal parts of butter with flour, and it will blend right into the mix to make it nice and thick. Another way to thicken it is to add cornstarch slurry. The ratio is two parts liquid to one part cornstarch. Stir until the cornstarch is dissolved, and then stir it into the sauce. Or, for something easy and fast, take out a scoop of the liquid and veggies and puree it in a blender. Pour it back into the juice, and it will add some thickness.

What is the difference between a Beef stew and Beef Bourguignon?

The main difference between a beef stew, and French boeuf bourguignon, is the presence of red wine. The traditional stews are usually made with broth or water, while the French version usually contains red wine in the sauce. The traditional recipe for beef bourguignon calls for a red Burgundy or a Pinot Noir. Similarly, you could use Cote du Rhone or Gamay.

How to store:

• Refrigerate: Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to four days.   
• Freezing: Place in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers to keep for three to four months.   
• Defrost: Thaw frozen leftovers in the fridge overnight for the best results.
• Reheating: To reheat, place thawed leftovers in the microwave for two to three minutes.

More hearty dinners:

Recipe tips:

• The best cut of beef for this recipe is chuck roast, but round roast, beef cheek, brisket, heel, or shin will also work.
• Make sure to get a cut of meat with plenty of white fat marbling for tenderness.
• To replace wine, try red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, grape juice, pomegranate juice, or cranberry juice.
• Avoid overcooking the stew, or it may turn out to be bitter.
• If the sauce seems watery, add roux, puree, or slurry to thicken it up.
• Always brown the beef. This locks in the juice caramelizes the crust and gives it extra flavor.