This easy Beef Bourguignon recipe is a melt-in-your-mouth, classic French stew made with tender chunks of beef chuck, bacon, and vegetables braised in red wine to make a simple, any time dinner that’s impressive enough to serve for special occasions, too.
Course Main Course
Cuisine French
Keyword bourguignon
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour30 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour50 minutesminutes
Servings 8
Calories 527kcal
Ingredients
2 ½poundsboneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
½teaspoonkosher salt
½teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
¼cupall-purpose flour
8ouncesbacon, diced
1yellow onion, diced
6carrots, diced
4celery stalks, diced
1poundcremini or button mushroom, sliced
4clovesgarlic, pressed or minced
½cupcognac
1tablespoontomato paste
2cupsdry red wine, such as Pinot Noir
2cupsbeef stock
1tablespoonbrown sugar
1teaspoonfresh thyme leaves
Chopped fresh Italian parsley, for serving
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Add the beef to a large mixing bowl and season it with the salt and pepper then toss with the flour. Set aside.
In a large cast-iron cocotte dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium-low heat until the edges of the bacon are crispy. Remove the bacon to a large bowl, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
Increase the heat to medium high. Add the beef to the fat in the pan and brown it on all sides. Remove the beef rom the pan to the bowl with the bacon.
Add the onions, carrots, celery, and mushrooms to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, or until aromatic. Remove the vegetables from the pan to the bowl with the beef.
Deglaze the pan with the cognac and cook until reduced by half, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.
Stir in the tomato paste then add the wine, stock, thyme, brown sugar, and a pig pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat.
Return the bacon, beef, and vegetables stop the pot, cover, and place in the oven.
Cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours in the preheated oven, until the beef is fork-tender. Remove from the oven, and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Use a good quality red wine you would actually want to drink. It doesn't have to be expensive to be good. I've used a pinot noir and Malbec before, with both adding the rich flavor this dish is known for.
If you don't have cognac, you can leave it out if you'd like.
This dish's flavors deepen over time. Cook it in it's entirety one or two days before serving, refrigerate and rewarm to serve. Or, cook through the stovetop steps a day or two ahead then finish in the oven the day you'd like to serve.