Description
Hearty French beef bourguignon brings rustic Burgundy comfort to dinner tables with rich, tender beef slow-cooked in red wine. Robust flavors and classic French techniques create a soul-warming meal you’ll savor with each delicious spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 lbs (900g) beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 2 cups dry red wine (e.g., Burgundy or Pinot Noir)
- 2 cups beef stock
Meat Accompaniments:
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
Supplementary Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Vegetables:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces (225g) pearl onions, peeled
- 8 ounces (225g) mushrooms, quartered
Instructions
- Meticulously blot excess moisture from beef cuts, generously seasoning with salt and pepper to enhance flavor profile.
- Render bacon in a substantial cast-iron vessel until achieving a crisp, golden texture. Extract bacon pieces, preserving the rendered fat within the cooking vessel.
- Elevate cooking temperature and introduce olive oil. Execute strategic beef searing, developing rich caramelization across each surface. Transfer beautifully browned meat segments to a separate plate.
- Introduce chopped onions and carrots into the residual cooking fat, allowing vegetables to soften and release aromatic essence. Incorporate minced garlic and tomato paste, rapidly stirring to intensify flavor complexities.
- Dust vegetables with flour, creating a roux-like foundation. Cascade red wine into the pot, vigorously scraping accumulated flavor-rich caramelized remnants from vessel bottom. Allow liquid to reduce and concentrate.
- Reunite seared beef and crisp bacon within the wine-infused environment. Integrate beef stock, aromatic bay leaf, and fresh thyme sprigs. Initiate gentle simmering, covering the pot and allowing ingredients to harmonize over low heat for approximately two hours.
- Simultaneously prepare pearl onions and mushrooms in a separate skillet, utilizing butter to achieve golden-brown caramelization. Incorporate these complementary vegetables during the stew’s final cooking phase.
- Extract bay leaf, assess and refine seasoning nuances. Present this luxurious French classic alongside creamy mashed potatoes, rustic crusty bread, or delicate buttered noodles.
Notes
- Choose beef chuck or brisket cuts with good marbling for tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture during slow cooking.
- Pat beef completely dry before searing to ensure perfect golden-brown caramelization and deeper flavor development.
- Use a robust, full-bodied red wine like Burgundy or Pinot Noir to enhance the traditional French stew’s rich taste profile.
- Cook on low, gentle heat to break down tough meat fibers and create incredibly tender, succulent meat that falls apart easily.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg