Classic Beef Bourguignon makes a rich velvety French stew from beef cooked in wine.
Beef Bourguignon, pronounced “Beouff Bourguignon” in the region of its origins, Burgundy France. This rich stew has all the humble elements of a traditional American stew but with more hidden flavor components of a classic French dish. Simple enough to make in any kitchen around the world. It is worth the few added ingredients that create these flavor notes creating a velvety upscale stew that tastes like comfort. As usual, I try to share recipes that can be done at home but have that extra about them. In this way, we can turn an everyday meal into something quite extraordinary.
What I Love About This Recipe
Classic Beef Bourguignon is comforting and flavorful while using whole food ingredients that are inexpensive. I love the classic elements of this dish. The fact that we don’t have to travel all the way to Burgundy France to enjoy the flavors of that beautiful region. Not that I wouldn’t jump on a plane in order to do so. But right in our own kitchens, we can mix up some of the best foods from other parts of the world, entirely. Foods that have made their rounds throughout the world by simply being delicious and accessible to all. I love the peasant appearance of this dish. Somehow combining humble ingredients that slow cook into something marvelous.
My favorite time to make this is on a rainy day. When the house is cozy and feels like a haven away from the wet stormy weather. A pot of Classic Beef Bourguignon is in the oven cooking away while the scent permeates the air in the house. It is classic, it is comforting and it is simple enough to make at home.
What You Will Need To Make It
2 lb beef chuck roast or stew meat cut into 2-inch cubes
5 slices thick cut bacon
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 carrots
4 cloves garlic minced
2 celery stalks
3 cups red wine
2 cups beef stock
1 yellow onion
4 tbsp flour
2 tbsp butter
1 bay leaf
1.5 to 2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
cracked black pepper
Tools
Directions
Begin by chopping and dicing the veggies. Cube the beef into 2-inch pieces if not already precut. Cut up the bacon into small pieces. Heat a heavy-bottomed pan and begin cooking the bacon. When crisp, remove bacon with a slotted spoon.

Pat the beef with a paper towel to remove excess moisture, and sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Add the beef chunks into the hot bacon oil and begin browning. When beef is browned on all sides remove it from the pot.

Drizzle the pot with olive oil if needed, then add the carrots, celery, and onion. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Add the garlic mushrooms and tomato paste. Stir well to incorporate and cook for about 2 minutes. Then add beef, and bacon back to the pot. Stir the entire contents of the pan. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of the flour over, and stir to coat everything with the flour. Slowly pour in the wine and stock. Add a tsp of sea salt to the pot.

Place rosemary sprigs on top. Cover the pan and place into a 350℉ oven for 1.5 hours.


Remove from the oven and take out the rosemary sprigs. In a saucepan heat 2 tbsp of butter with 2 tbsp of flour to make a rue. Using a ladle, scoop out about a cup of the sauce from the pot. Whisk to combine the sauce with the rue. Add another ladle or about a cup of the sauce to the saucepan. Allow it to thicken and then pour the gravy into the pot. Place the pot over medium heat on the stovetop and allow it to simmer for about 3-4 minutes. Stir to combine the gravy.

Remove from heat and serve as a stew in a bowl with a chunk of bread or over mashed potatoes acting as a hearty gravy.



Cooking Tips
- Be sure to bring beef to room temperature before cooking.
- Pat the beef dry with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture, then season.
- I use olive oil for the added oil to the pot but you can use avocado, vegetable or tallow for this.
- Use a good quality thick-cut bacon so that it holds up in the sauce.
- I use white button mushrooms or baby Bella mushrooms but you can sub those out for Portabello or Crimini mushrooms.
Wine To Use
Traditionally beef bourguignon is made using burgundy wine. A red wine derived from the region in which this dish was created. However, you can use other wines to make this Classic Beef Bourguignon. You want a full-bodied red wine like a Chianti, a California Pinot Noir, or a Cabernet Sauvignon. All wines will help develop the rich boldness in the sauce. It also pairs nicely with a glass of Burgundy wine or another full-bodied wine you enjoy drinking.
Serving Suggestions
There are several ways to serve Classic Beef Bourguignon, here are a few traditional ways and our favorite for you to try.
- The rich sauce, veggies and meat is excellent poured over the fluffy bed of potatoes.
- A rustic bread is great to place in the center of the table while serving the Classic Beef Bourguignon as a stew in a bowl. Allowing guests and those served to enjoy a slice dipped into the delicious sauce. Check out this No Knead Artisan Loaf. It creates a lovely homemade bread that works perfectly for this.
- One of our favorite ways to serve this and not at all traditional is over a bed of white rice. For us, it’s even better than the mashed potatoes as it adds a bit of texture that is satisfying to this dish.
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Classic Beef Bourguignon
Yield: 10
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Additional Time: 1 minute
Total Time: 1 hour 46 minutes
a rich velvety French beef stew braised in red wine
Ingredients
- 2 lb chuck roast or stew meat cut into 2-inch pieces
- 5 slices of thick-cut bacon
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups of sliced mushrooms
- 3 cups of red wine
- 2 cups beef stock
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1.5-2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 sprigs of fresh Rosemary
- 4 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Begin by chopping and dicing the veggies.
- Cube the beef into 2-inch pieces if not already precut. Cut up the bacon into small pieces.
- Heat a heavy-bottomed pan and begin cooking the bacon. When crisp, remove bacon with a slotted spoon.
- Pat the beef with a paper towel to remove excess moisture, and sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
- Add the beef chunks into the hot bacon oil and begin browning. When beef is browned on all sides remove it from the pot.
- Drizzle the pot with olive oil if needed, then add the carrots, celery, and onion.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
- Add the mushrooms, garlic, and tomato paste to the pot and stir well to incorporate.
- Cook for about 2 minutes. Then add the beef and bacon back to the pot.
- Sprinkle 2 tbsp of the flour over, and stir to coat everything with the flour.
- Slowly pour in the wine and stock.
- Place rosemary sprigs on top.
- Cover the pan and place into a 350℉ oven for 1.5 hours.
- Remove from the oven and take out the rosemary sprigs.
- In a saucepan heat 2 tbsp of butter with 2 tbsp of flour to make a rue.
- Using a ladle, scoop out about a cup of the sauce from the pot. Whisk to combine with the rue.
- Add another ladle or about a cup of the sauce to the saucepan.
- Allow it to thicken and then pour the gravy into the pot.
- Place the pot over medium heat on the stovetop and allow it to simmer for about 3-4 minutes. Stir to combine the gravy.
- Remove from heat and serve as a stew in a bowl with a chunk of bread or over mashed potatoes acting as a hearty gravy.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 391Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 1006mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 30g
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FAQs
What is the best red wine to use in Beef Bourguignon? ›
Red Burgundy is the traditional match for Beef Bourguignon, Merlot dominated blends from both Australia and Bordeaux. Red Bordeaux in particular, can be enjoyed more fully. A weighty Pinot Noir or a robust Ribera del Duero. Tempranillo wine is also fine.
What is traditionally served with Beef Bourguignon? ›A Beef Bourguignon is traditionally served with boiled baby potatoes or over mashed potatoes. Although, I find it delicious served with buttered egg noodles, white rice or even polenta. A side of sweet peas is lovely too.
What's the difference between beef stew and Beef Bourguignon? ›The difference between beef stew and beef Bourguignon is whether or not it contains wine from Burgundy. Classic beef stew recipes (like my Instant Pot Beef Stew) do not include wine. However, beef Bourguignon is considered a beef stew.
Can you overcook Beef Bourguignon? ›Can you overcook beef bourguignon? Yes, there's a balance of time and temperature to ensure that the meat doesn't overcook and dry, yet the vegetables like carrots soften but don't break down. For this recipe at least an hour, typically 1 ½ hours is needed for simmering the liquid.
Does beef bourguignon taste better the next day? ›Boeuf bourguignon may be made 1 day ahead. Cool, uncovered, then chill, covered (it tastes even better made ahead because it gives the flavors time to develop).
How do you thicken beef bourguignon sauce? ›If the sauce is too thin, boil it over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until reduced to the right consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper, if desired. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. If you are serving immediately, simmer the beef bourguignon for 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
How do you serve beef bourguignon at a dinner party? ›- Noodles. Beef bourguignon has such an incredibly rich flavor, so it's nice to pair it with something light. ...
- Rice. Apart from noodles, you can also pair your stew with rice. ...
- Mashed Potatoes. ...
- Popovers. ...
- Dinner Rolls. ...
- Green Salad. ...
- Green Beans. ...
- Mashed Cauliflower.
[and] it turns out that beef cheeks are the perfect vehicles for a bourguignon since they absorb all the flavours in the pan and the meat surrenders completely.” Featherblade proves the least successful with testers – it's just too lean, which makes it seem rather dry in comparison with the more gelatinous cuts.
How do you plate beef bourguignon? ›Dish of the Dale: How to serve Beef Bourguignon - YouTube
What appetizers go with beef bourguignon? ›- Chicken liver pate on sourdough toast.
- Cucumber radish salad.
- Stuffed mushrooms.
- Puff pastry cheese straws.
- Roasted figs with prosciutto.
- Oysters with champagne.
How do the French say beef bourguignon? ›
How to Say Boeuf Bourguignon? (CORRECTLY) French ... - YouTube
What alcohol is in beef bourguignon? ›Being a muslim I don't drink alcohol or cook with it and beef bourguignon is a dish based on red wine. I mean wine is not just an ingredient in the dish, it is basically what the dish revolves around.
Should I Skim fat off beef bourguignon? ›You want your stew to be rich, but not so decadent that it's a gut bomb. Skim the top of your stew and remove as much of the fat as you can before serving. If you're making your stew ahead, skip this step—when you refrigerate, the fat on top will harden, making it easy to get rid of.
Does beef get softer the longer you cook it? ›They will therefore not soften the longer you cook it. The heat will cause the meat to lose moisture, and so it's best to cook these cuts on high heat quickly. Fat also plays a part as this melts into the meat and keeps it moist.
Why is my slow cooked beef tough? ›Why is meat still tough in the slow cooker? It's because you haven't let the collagen break down. Extend the cook time, make sure there's enough liquid and keep an eye on the dish.
Why does my beef bourguignon taste bitter? ›It's the tomato paste. Many brands of tomato paste can have a bitter, almost metallic flavor if it isn't fried off first. I don't use it in crock pot recipes for that very reason unless I saute it in some oil for a minute before adding it. You can add some sugar but that doesn't counteract the bitterness.
Does the alcohol cook out of beef bourguignon? ›Alcohol evaporates faster than the water in the wine, but there will still be a little alcohol left after cooking. The amount that remains depends on what is being cooked, as noted in the table below. A stew, such as beef bourguignon, that cooks for a few hours will have time for more of the alcohol to burn off.
Can you reheat beef bourguignon in a slow cooker? ›Reheating can be done in the slow cooker on low for about 4 hours. If you'd like to warm up your leftovers faster than that, you can reheat the stew in a pot over a low-heat burner. Stir it often until warmed through, about 15 minutes.
How do I thicken Beef Bourguignon without flour? ›If you want to thicken the Beef Bourguignon sauce simply mix two tablespoons of cornstarch with two tablespoons cold water, then add half of that to the pot, stir over a medium low heat for a minute or two until the sauce thickens, add the rest if you need to thicken it further.
How do you thicken Beef Bourguignon with flour? ›Simply mix equal parts butter and flour in a small bowl until it's the texture of playdough, then add to the stew in small additions until it's thickened to your liking. If the stew is meat-based, you can add the flour when you sear the meat (aka before adding any liquid).
Can you leave lid off slow cooker to thicken? ›
While your dinner cooks, prop the lid open a bit so that moisture can escape and thicken the stew naturally without extending the cooking time too much. Skewers or chopsticks between the lid and the crock of the slow cooker work well for this.
What is a good appetizer with beef stew? ›- Hot Crab Dip.
- Velveeta Cheese Dip.
- Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts.
- Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits.
- Texas Roadhouse Rolls.
Coq au Vin is traditionally served with some sort of starch to soak up all of those winey, flavorful juices. Try egg noodles, mashed potatoes, farro, quinoa, rice, and with or without these items, it's always a good idea to pass around a loaf of crusty bread for mopping the plate.
Can you use cabernet sauvignon in beef bourguignon? ›Which wine works best: Beef Bourguignon is typically made with a red Burgundy such as a Pinot Noir, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. You want a red wine that has enough tannins to counter the rich and tender stewed beef.
How long can you keep beef bourguignon in the fridge? ›Can you freeze Beef Bourguignon? Yes, you can! Properly stored, cooked beef stew will last for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. To further extend the shelf life of cooked beef stew, freeze it; freeze in covered airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags.
What is a good Burgundy wine for cooking? ›The best burgundy wine for cooking is the Pinot noir. It will help you create an amazing sauce and work well with various dishes, and it will enhance the flavor of the meat, vegetables, and other ingredients. A Pinot Noir will be the perfect accompaniment, whether it's a lamb chop or a beef roast.
What does Bourguignon mean? ›Definition of bourguignon
: cooked in red wine and especially Burgundy typically with onions and often mushrooms : burgundy entry 2 My dining partner wisely chose the veal bourguignon. The meat was succulent and tender, with a stunning red wine sauce.—
What's the Best Wine for Beef Bourguignon? I recommend using a dry red wine for this beef burgundy recipe, such as a pinot noir or Malbec. Use a red wine you'd actually like to drink, not a cooking wine.
Can you use Shiraz for beef bourguignon? ›Make Beef Bourguignon on the stovetop following these easy steps: Cook red wine. Add wine to a saucepan and cook for 15 minutes - Choose Pinot Noir, Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon The better the flavor, the better the taste. Sear chunks of beef.
Can I use Cabernet Sauvignon for beef bourguignon? ›Recipe Notes
Which wine works best: Beef Bourguignon is typically made with a red Burgundy such as a Pinot Noir, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. You want a red wine that has enough tannins to counter the rich and tender stewed beef.
What kind of red wine do you use for beef stew? ›
You also don't want a delicate wine like Pinot Noir for this stew. Grab a bottle of hearty red wine; cabernet, merlot, zinfandel, shiraz, or malbec work great!
When a recipe calls for red wine What should I use? ›If the recipe asks for red wine, you can swap in any broth (including beef) or red grape juice or cranberry juice.
What is best beef for beef bourguignon? ›[and] it turns out that beef cheeks are the perfect vehicles for a bourguignon since they absorb all the flavours in the pan and the meat surrenders completely.” Featherblade proves the least successful with testers – it's just too lean, which makes it seem rather dry in comparison with the more gelatinous cuts.
Why does my beef bourguignon taste bitter? ›It's the tomato paste. Many brands of tomato paste can have a bitter, almost metallic flavor if it isn't fried off first. I don't use it in crock pot recipes for that very reason unless I saute it in some oil for a minute before adding it. You can add some sugar but that doesn't counteract the bitterness.
How do you serve beef bourguignon at a dinner party? ›- Noodles. Beef bourguignon has such an incredibly rich flavor, so it's nice to pair it with something light. ...
- Rice. Apart from noodles, you can also pair your stew with rice. ...
- Mashed Potatoes. ...
- Popovers. ...
- Dinner Rolls. ...
- Green Salad. ...
- Green Beans. ...
- Mashed Cauliflower.
In general, if your recipe calls for dry red wine, you can feel confident adding a Merlot, Pinot Noir, or Cabernet Sauvignon to your dish. A Zinfandel or Shiraz will work nicely for hearty dishes, such as ribs, lamb, or roast beef.
Can I use any red wine for beef stew? ›Beef Stew in red wine Recipe Tips
Use any red wine you would drink (because most likely, if you are like me – you will drink the left over wine!) Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet or any red blend are good options. You can swap ingredients to your taste.
ANSWER: Waxy potatoes or those called boiling potatoes stand up well in soups and stews. These have thin skin and are high in moisture and low in starch. Potatoes that are low-starch and high-moisture hold together better. Yukon Gold potatoes are on the medium-starch side and will hold their shape in soups.
Can you use regular red wine instead of red cooking wine? ›When it comes to cooking with wine, avoid bottles labeled "cooking wine." Cooking wine isn't anything you'd want to cook with — it's loaded with preservatives, sweeteners and salt, which can make your final dish taste overly sweet, salty or even metallic.
What's the difference between red cooking wine and red wine? ›The difference between the two wines is the quality of the drink. Regular wine is finer, more flavorful, and will have a stronger taste in your dishes. Cooking wine is a go-to wine that will add the flavor you need, but will not be enjoyable to drink, as the flavors it will bring won't be as potent.
Can balsamic vinegar substitute for red wine? ›
Use balsamic vinegar as a 1:1 substitute for red wine vinegar in most recipes. You can also dilute it with white vinegar or red wine. Because of its thicker, sweeter properties, you may need to reduce the sweetness in the recipe you're following.
What starch goes with beef bourguignon? ›You can serve beef bourguignon with mashed potatoes, green beans, or a loaf of French bread. If I'm serving this to guests, I'll used mashed potatoes, but if I'm hunkering down with this meal on a Sunday night, French bread is my preference.
How do the French say beef bourguignon? ›How to Say Boeuf Bourguignon? (CORRECTLY) French ... - YouTube
Does beef bourguignon taste like wine? ›Red wine is one of the key ingredients for most beef stew recipes, including a beef bourguignon. Therefore, it is quite easy to understand why sometimes, your beef bourguignon tastes like alcohol, or wine if you don't follow the recipe or accidentally use a lot more wine than what it is supposed to be.