Chef-tested recipe
Tender beef braised in red wine with bacon, mushrooms, carrots, and glossy pearl onions
Beef bourguignon, or boeuf bourguignon, turns an economical braising cut into one of France’s most celebrated comfort dishes. Beef is browned in bacon fat, slowly cooked with Burgundy-style red wine and aromatics, then finished with separately browned mushrooms and pearl onions. The result should be tender beef in a glossy sauce that tastes deeply savoury rather than sharply alcoholic.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 6 servings
- Prep Time
- 35 mins
- Cook Time
- 2 hours 45 mins
- Total Time
- 3 hours 20 mins
- Cuisine
- French
- Course
- Main dishes
- Cooking Method
- Stovetop browning and slow oven braising
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Best Served With
- Best served with buttery mashed potatoes, pommes purée, crusty French bread, buttered noodles, or simple steamed green beans.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Large Dutch oven with lidpaid link
- Large frying panpaid link
- Chef’s knifepaid link
- Cutting boardpaid link
- Kitchen tongspaid link
- Wooden spoonpaid link
- Measuring jugpaid link
- Digital kitchen scalepaid link
Ingredients
For the braise
- Boneless beef chuck, cut into 5 cm pieces: 1500 g
- Fine sea saltpaid link: 15 g
- Freshly ground black pepper: 4 g
- Smoked bacon lardons: 180 g
- Neutral cooking oilpaid link: 30 ml
- Yellow onion, diced: 250 g
- Carrots, cut into 2 cm pieces: 300 g
- Garlic cloves, minced: 20 g
- Tomato paste: 30 g
- Plain flourpaid link: 35 g
- Dry red Burgundy or Pinot Noir: 750 ml
- Unsalted beef stock: 500 ml
- Fresh thyme sprigs: 8 g
- Bay leaves: 2 g
For the garnish
- Pearl onions, peeled: 300 g
- Brown mushrooms, quartered: 400 g
- Unsalted butter: 45 g
- Flat-leaf parsley, chopped: 20 g
Preparation Overview
Pat the beef completely dry so it browns instead of steaming. Cut all pieces to a similar size, prepare the vegetables, and preheat the oven to 165°C. Choose a dry, medium-bodied red wine that is pleasant to drink but not heavily oaked.
Method
Heat the oven to 165°C. Season the dried beef evenly with salt and black pepper.
Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes until its fat renders. Transfer the bacon to a plate.
Brown the beef in small batches in the bacon fat, adding oil as needed. Sear every side deeply, then transfer the beef to the plate.
Add the diced onion and carrots to the pot and cook for 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
Return the beef and bacon to the pot, sprinkle over the flour, and stir for 2 minutes so the flour loses its raw taste.
Pour in the wine while scraping the browned residue from the base. Add the stock, thyme, and bay leaves and bring to a gentle simmer.
Cover the pot and braise in the oven for 2 hours, then uncover and continue cooking for 25 to 35 minutes until the beef is fork-tender and the sauce lightly coats a spoon.
While the beef finishes, melt half the butter in a frying pan and cook the pearl onions with a splash of water for 12 to 15 minutes until tender and glazed.
Melt the remaining butter in the same pan and brown the mushrooms over medium-high heat for 7 to 9 minutes.
Remove the thyme stems and bay leaves from the braise. Fold in the onions and mushrooms, adjust the seasoning, and finish with chopped parsley.
Beginner Technique Notes
Dry and brown the beef in batches; crowding the pot traps steam and prevents a flavourful crust.
Keep the braise at a gentle simmer. Vigorous boiling can toughen the meat before its collagen has time to soften.
If the sauce is thin when the beef is tender, remove the meat and simmer the liquid briefly on the stovetop.
Use a non-alcoholic dry red wine alternative plus extra stock if needed, understanding that the flavour will differ.
Tips and Variations
Prepare the dish one day ahead for even deeper flavour; chill it quickly, remove any solidified fat, and reheat gently.
Use small shallots when pearl onions are unavailable.
For a richer finish, whisk 10 g cold butter into the sauce immediately before serving.
Do not substitute a sweet wine, which makes the finished sauce cloying.
Serving Ideas
- Spoon the bourguignon into warm shallow bowls, keeping the beef, mushrooms, carrots, and pearl onions visible, then scatter with fresh parsley.
Storage
Cool within 2 hours and refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently to at least 74°C. Freeze for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutritional Value
Allergen Notes
Contains gluten from flour and may contain dairy if butter is used. Check bacon, stock, tomato paste, and wine for sulphites, gluten, celery, or other additives. Alcohol is substantially reduced but may not be eliminated completely.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cut of beef is best for bourguignon?
Beef chuck is ideal because its collagen softens during slow braising while the meat remains juicy.
Does beef bourguignon need Burgundy wine?
A dry red Burgundy is traditional, but a balanced Pinot Noir or another dry, medium-bodied red wine works well.
Can I make it a day ahead?
Yes. The flavour often improves overnight; cool it safely, refrigerate, and reheat gently.
Why is my beef still tough?
It likely needs more time at a gentle temperature. Continue braising and check every 20 minutes until fork-tender.
