Stove Top Boeuf Bourguignon

There’s really nothing more comforting than a French beef stew – the classic Boeuf Bourguignon – on a chilly evening. It’s elegant and rustic at the same time, and works just as well for casual weeknight meals as it does for celebrations and holiday dinners.

Popularized in the US by the legendary Julia Child, the Boeuf Bourguignon should be a staple on any home-cooks repertoire. And while Julia Child’s recipe is pretty extensive and labor intense, Honest Cooking’s version is incredibly easy to make, difficult to mess up, cheap – and it always impresses.

One of the things that intimidates a lot of folks when it comes to making Boeuf Bourguignon is that the original recipes all call for using a Dutch oven. Our version does not (even if you can use it, of course). It just gently simmers away on the stove top for a few hours. No special equipment needed here, and the result is just as good.

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BASIC RULES OF BOEUF BOURGUIGNON

1. You can’t rush it.

Sorry, if you only have 45 minutes before you need to eat – this is not the dish you should throw yourself at. Because while prep is very straight forward and simple, the stew needs time, the more time the better – but at the very least 2 hours (preferably 3-4 hours) to really get the juices flowing and the meat to become as tender as we’re looking for.

2. Buy cheaper cuts of beef.

No need to get all fancy and buy rib-eyes or NY strips. Get a proper slab of beef chuck roast, and cut it into 2.5 inch cubes. You can get 3 pounds of chuck for $15 in most grocery stores, and it will last your family for days.

3. You need bacon.

Preferably lardons, which is small cubes (or strips) of bacon, but if you can’t find it at your local grocer – buy the nicest bacon you can afford. It will add so much flavor to your stew!

4. Wine matters!

No, you don’t have to pour your finest bottle of wine into your Boeuf Bourguignon, but if you can – try to go for a richer, bolder wine to bring extra intensity to your stew. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel all work really well for this recipe.

5. Serve with potatoes.

Small, boiled new potatoes are great. Mashed potatoes are much better. And luckily for you, we have the perfect recipe for incredibly fluffy mashed spuds right here on Honest Cooking.

How to Make Beef Bourgignon

1. Render the Bacon

• In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, cook the lardons or chopped bacon over medium-high heat until golden and crisp. Once cooked, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Leave the bacon fat in the pot for flavor.

2. Sear the Beef

• Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the bacon fat, then turn the heat to high.
• Working in batches, sear the beef cubes on all sides until well-browned, about 2 minutes per side. Avoid crowding the pot to allow proper browning.
• Transfer seared beef pieces to a plate and set aside.

3. Cook the Aromatics

• Lower the heat to medium and add the sliced carrots and yellow onions to the pot.
• Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften.
• Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.

4. Add Beef, Bacon, and Flour

• Return the seared beef and bacon to the pot with the vegetables.
• Sprinkle the flour over the ingredients and stir well, cooking for about 2 minutes. This step helps thicken the stew slightly.

5. Deglaze with Red Wine

• Pour the entire bottle of red wine into the pot. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom to deglaze the pan.
• Bring the wine to a vigorous boil for 5 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate.

6. Add Stock and Seasonings

• Pour in the beef stock, add the bouillon, tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and parsley flakes. Stir until everything is well combined.
• Add the pearl onions, then season the stew with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 3-4 hours, or until the beef is tender and falls apart easily with a fork.

7. Prepare the Mushrooms

• About 10 minutes before serving, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
• Add the quartered mushrooms and sauté until golden brown. Season lightly with salt.
• Add the mushrooms to the stew, stirring gently to incorporate them.

8. Serve

• Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the stew.
• Sprinkle with fresh herbs.
• Serve with the best mashed potatoes in the world.

NOTE: If you’re using a Dutch oven in the oven for Beef Bourguignon, preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). After browning the beef and sautéing the vegetables on the stovetop as directed, you can transfer the Dutch oven to the oven and let it cook for 2.5 to 3 hours.

Stove Top Boeuf Bourguignon

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4.8 from 10 reviews

• Author: Kalle Bergman
• Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 people 1x

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Description

There’s really nothing more comforting than a French beef stew – the classic Boeuf Bourguignon – on a chilly evening. It’s elegant and rustic at the same time, and works just as well for casual weeknight meals as it does for celebrations and holiday dinners.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

3 lbs (1.4 kg) beef chuck, cut into 2.5-inch (6 cm) cubes

1 bottle (750 ml) red wine

1 lb (450g) small brown mushrooms, quartered

7 oz (200g) lardons or chopped bacon

1 large yellow onion, sliced

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) rounds

8 cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped

2 tbsp (16g) all-purpose flour

1 cup (150g) pearl onions

2 cups (480 ml) beef stock

1 tbsp Better than Bouillon Beef or 1 beef bouillon cube

2 tbsp (30g) tomato paste

4 bay leaves

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 tbsp dried parsley flakes

Salt and black pepper, to taste

2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil, divided

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Instructions

1. Render the Bacon

• In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, cook the lardons or chopped bacon over medium-high heat until golden and crisp. Once cooked, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Leave the bacon fat in the pot for flavor.

2. Sear the Beef

• Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the bacon fat, then turn the heat to high.
• Working in batches, sear the beef cubes on all sides until well-browned, about 2 minutes per side. Avoid crowding the pot to allow proper browning.
• Transfer seared beef pieces to a plate and set aside.

3. Cook the Aromatics

• Lower the heat to medium and add the sliced carrots and yellow onions to the pot.
• Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften.
• Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.

4. Add Beef, Bacon, and Flour

• Return the seared beef and bacon to the pot with the vegetables.
• Sprinkle the flour over the ingredients and stir well, cooking for about 2 minutes. This step helps thicken the stew slightly.

5. Deglaze with Red Wine

• Pour the entire bottle of red wine into the pot. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom to deglaze the pan.
• Bring the wine to a vigorous boil for 5 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate.

6. Add Stock and Seasonings

• Pour in the beef stock, add the bouillon, tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and parsley flakes. Stir until everything is well combined.
• Add the pearl onions, then season the stew with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 3-4 hours, or until the beef is tender and falls apart easily with a fork.

7. Prepare the Mushrooms

• About 10 minutes before serving, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
• Add the quartered mushrooms and sauté until golden brown. Season lightly with salt.
• Add the mushrooms to the stew, stirring gently to incorporate them.

8. Serve

• Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the stew.
• Sprinkle with additional fresh herbs or sliced spring onions if desired, and serve warm.

Notes

Serve with the best mashed potatoes in the world.

If you’re using a Dutch oven in the oven for Beef Bourguignon, preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). After browning the beef and sautéing the vegetables on the stovetop as directed, you can transfer the Dutch oven to the oven and let it cook for 3-3.5 hours.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 3 hours
• Category: Main Course, Stew
• Method: Slow Cooking
• Cuisine: French, French-Inspired

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 300g
• Calories: 530
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 800mg
• Fat: 22g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 16g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 45g
• Cholesterol: 110mg