Classic Beef Bourguignon

Name: Classic Beef Bourguignon
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 3 h 30 min
Total time: 4 h 10 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 3 lb (1360 g) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of large fat pockets, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) cubes, patted very dry; 6 oz (170 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch (1 cm) strips; 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil; 1 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) large yellow onion, diced into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces; 2 medium (about 8 oz) (225 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) rounds; 3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced; 3 tbsp (48 g) tomato paste; 3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour; 3 cups (720 ml) dry red wine (Pinot Noir or Burgundy), at room temperature; 1¾ cups (420 ml) low-sodium beef stock, 1½ cups (360 ml) for the braise, ¼ cup (60 ml) for the pearl onions; 6 sprigs (6 g) fresh thyme sprigs, tied with kitchen twine or left whole; 2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves; 2½ tsp (8 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), divided: 1½ tsp for the beef, ½ tsp for the mushrooms, ½ tsp to adjust at the end; 1 tsp (2 g) freshly ground black pepper, divided, ¾ tsp for the beef and the rest to finish; 10 oz (285 g) pearl onions, peeled, root ends trimmed but left intact so they hold together; 3 tbsp (43 g) unsalted butter, divided: 1 tbsp for the onions, 2 tbsp for the mushrooms; 1 lb (450 g) cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, large ones quartered and small ones halved; 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender chunks of beef chuck slowly braised in the oven with red wine, smoky bacon, and aromatics, then finished with buttery browned pearl onions and mushrooms. It's the French countryside classic, made with a clear, no-guesswork method.

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 3 hr 30 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 4 hr 25 min
Makes: About 8 cups (6 generous servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the braise
3 lb (1360 g) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of large fat pockets, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) cubes, patted very dry
6 oz (170 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch (1 cm) strips
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) large yellow onion, diced into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces
2 medium (about 8 oz) (225 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) rounds
3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp (48 g) tomato paste
3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour
3 cups (720 ml) dry red wine (Pinot Noir or Burgundy), at room temperature
1¾ cups (420 ml) low-sodium beef stock, 1½ cups (360 ml) for the braise, ¼ cup (60 ml) for the pearl onions
6 sprigs (6 g) fresh thyme sprigs, tied with kitchen twine or left whole
2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves
2½ tsp (8 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), divided: 1½ tsp for the beef, ½ tsp for the mushrooms, ½ tsp to adjust at the end
1 tsp (2 g) freshly ground black pepper, divided, ¾ tsp for the beef and the rest to finish
For the garnish
10 oz (285 g) pearl onions, peeled, root ends trimmed but left intact so they hold together
3 tbsp (43 g) unsalted butter, divided: 1 tbsp for the onions, 2 tbsp for the mushrooms
1 lb (450 g) cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, large ones quartered and small ones halved
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Equipment (6)

6-quart (5.7 L) heavy oven-safe Dutch oven with lid
Large 12-inch (30 cm) skillet
Chef's knife and cutting board
Slotted spoon
Paper towels
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Pat the beef dry and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while you prep. Dry, less-chilled meat browns better.
Choose a dry, medium-bodied red wine you would happily drink, such as Pinot Noir, Burgundy, or Côtes du Rhône. Avoid anything labeled 'cooking wine'.
Position an oven rack in the lower third and preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) when you reach the braising step.
If using fresh pearl onions, blanch them in boiling water for 1 minute, cool, trim the root ends, and slip off the skins. Frozen pearl onions, thawed and patted dry, also work.
Plan on about 4½ hours start to finish. The stew tastes even better made a day ahead.

1
Dry and season beef
- Pat the beef cubes very dry with paper towels.
- Toss them in a bowl with 1½ tsp of the kosher salt and ¾ tsp of the black pepper.
- Let them stand at room temperature while you prep the vegetables and bacon.
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Ready when: Beef surfaces look dry and matte, not wet or shiny
Tip: Wet meat steams instead of browning. Blot the cubes a second time if you see any moisture.
2
Render the bacon
- Set the Dutch oven over medium heat and add the bacon strips.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate.
- Leave the fat in the pot.
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Ready when: Bacon is golden-brown and mostly crisp at the edges, and about 3 tbsp of fat has collected in the pot
Tip: Starting the bacon in a cold pot renders more fat and prevents scorching.
3
Sear beef in batches
- Add the olive oil to the bacon fat and raise the heat to medium-high.
- Once the fat shimmers, add about one-third of the beef in a single layer with space between pieces.
- Sear without moving for 2 to 3 minutes per side, about 8 minutes per batch.
- Turn to brown all sides.
- Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining beef in 2 more batches.
- Lower the heat if the browned bits on the bottom start to smell burnt.
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Ready when: Every side of each cube has a deep, dark brown crust and releases easily from the pot
Tip: Crowding the pot drops the temperature and the beef will steam gray. Three batches is worth it.
4
Cook vegetables and paste
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the diced onion and carrots to the pot, plus a pinch of salt from your remaining salt if the pot looks dry.
- Cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and tomato paste.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent, and the tomato paste darkens to brick red and smells sweet
Tip: If the bottom of the pot looks scorched rather than browned, add a splash of the wine right away and scrape.
5
Add flour and wineOven 325°F / 165°C
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute to cook off the raw taste.
- Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen all the browned bits.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325°F (160°C).
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Ready when: Wine has reduced slightly, looks glossy, and no longer smells sharply of alcohol
Tip: Stir while adding the wine so the flour doesn't clump.
6
Assemble the braise
- Return the beef, with any juices in the bowl, and the cooked bacon to the pot.
- Add 1½ cups (360 ml) of the beef stock, the thyme, bay leaves, and the remaining ½ tsp salt for the pot only if tasting the liquid suggests it needs it.
- The liquid should come almost to the top of the meat.
- Bring to a gentle simmer on the stove over medium heat, then cover with the lid.
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Ready when: Small bubbles break at the edges of the pot and the liquid nearly covers the meat
Tip: Bacon is salty, so hold back extra salt until the final tasting.
7
Braise in the ovenOven 325°F / 165°C
- Place the covered pot in the 325°F (160°C) oven.
- Braise for 2 hours, without stirring, until the beef is nearly tender.
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Ready when: A beef cube is almost tender when pierced with a fork but still holds together; liquid barely bubbles
Tip: If the sauce is bubbling hard when you peek, lower the oven to 300°F (150°C).
8
Brown the pearl onions
- About 30 minutes before the braise finishes, melt 1 tbsp of the butter in the large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the pearl onions in a single layer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning, until browned in spots.
- Add the extra ¼ cup (60 ml) stock, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Uncover and cook 1 to 2 minutes more to evaporate the liquid.
- Transfer to a plate.
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Ready when: Onions are golden-brown and a knife slides in easily, and the pan is nearly dry and glazed
Tip: Keep the root ends on so the onions don't fall apart.
9
Sauté the mushrooms
- Wipe out the skillet.
- Melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter over medium-high heat.
- Add the mushrooms in a single layer, working in two batches if needed, with ½ tsp salt.
- Cook without stirring for 3 minutes, then stir and cook 4 to 5 minutes more.
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Ready when: Mushrooms have released their liquid, it has cooked off, and they are deep golden-brown
Tip: Don't salt or stir early. Letting them sit gives better browning.
10
Finish the stewOven 325°F / 165°C
- Carefully remove the pot from the oven and uncover.
- Stir in the pearl onions and mushrooms.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
- Return the pot, uncovered, to the 325°F (160°C) oven for 30 minutes.
- The sauce will thicken slightly and the beef will finish cooking.
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Ready when: Beef shreds easily with a fork (about 200°F / 93°C inside) and the sauce coats the back of a spoon
Tip: The pot handle is very hot. Use oven mitts and put a towel over the handle as a reminder.
11
Rest, skim, and serve
- Rest the stew, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Tilt the pot and skim the fat from the surface with a wide spoon.
- Taste and add the remaining ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper if needed.
- Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve in shallow bowls.
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Ready when: Sauce is glossy and deep mahogany, with a thin layer of fat on top that can be skimmed
Tip: Serve over buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

Good to know

Tips

Choose beef chuck for its marbling and collagen. Lean cuts like round or sirloin turn dry and stringy in a long braise.
Cut the beef into big 2-inch cubes. They shrink during cooking, and smaller pieces can dry out.
Cook the garnish separately and add it late so the onions and mushrooms keep their shape, color, and flavor.
If the finished sauce is too thin, remove the beef and vegetables with a slotted spoon and simmer the sauce on the stove over medium-high heat for 5 to 10 minutes.

Make ahead

"Make the stew through step 11 up to 2 days ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate, then lift off the solidified fat. Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat, or in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 30 minutes, adding a splash of stock if too thick. Garnish with parsley just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months, with the potatoes or noodles stored separately. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C), stirring occasionally."

Substitutions

dry red wine (Pinot Noir or Burgundy) → Additional low-sodium beef stock plus 2 tbsp red wine vinegar. Makes a non-alcoholic version with less depth. Use 3 cups (720 ml) stock total and reduce more at the end if needed.
pearl onions → Frozen pearl onions, thawed and patted dry. Skip peeling. Brown them as directed, but they may need only 5 minutes of covered cooking.
thick-cut bacon → Pancetta or salt pork. Use the same weight. Blanch salt pork for 5 minutes in boiling water first to reduce saltiness.
cremini mushrooms → White button or mixed wild mushrooms. Use the same weight. Wild mushrooms may release more liquid and need a few extra minutes.