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What could be better on a cold winter day than a bowl of this? Beef Bourguignon, a standout of the stew family, has all you could want in a dish. Savory beef and vegetables tackle hunger in any size while providing the comfort of familiar flavors. Being that this is not your average stew, it is a bit time-intensive, but the results are well worth it. Much of the preparation can be done in advance. While it is cooking, the house will smell like heaven.
Serve it with a thick slice of country bread for a hearty meal that you and whoever else is lucky enough to eat it will savor.
Serving Suggestions
No-Knead Country Bread
Bibb Lettuce Salad with House Vinaigrette
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Beef Bourguignon
A classic and comforting French stew of tender beef and vegetables that are bathe in a luscious red wine sauce!
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 6 ounces bacon, cut into lardons (¼-inch thick matchsticks)
- 3 pounds rump or chuck pot roast, cut into 2-inch thick cubes and blotted dry with paper towels
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3 cups full-bodied red wine
- 2-3 cups beef stock
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic, mashed
- 1 large spring fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 medium carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal into 1 ½-inch pieces
For the Brown Braised Pearl Onions
- 1 (16 ounce) bag frozen pearl onions, thawed and drained
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons oil
- ½ cup beef stock
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
For the Sautéed Mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ pound white button mushrooms, left whole if small, sliced or quartered if large
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Beef Stew
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 ½ quarts water to a simmer. Add the bacon and cook for 10 minutes; drain and dry on paper towels.
- In a large dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon; set aside in a medium bowl. Working with a few pieces at a time, sauté the beef in the hot bacon fat until lightly browned on all sides. Add the beef to the bacon. In the same fat, add the carrot and onion until lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Add the vegetables to the bacon and beef; pour out the cooking fat from the dutch oven.
- Return the beef, bacon, and vegetables to the dutch oven and toss with salt and pepper. Sprinkle in the the flour and toss to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Place the pot in the oven and cook for 4 minutes. Carefully remove the pot from the oven, toss the meat, and return the pot to the oven for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.) Remove the casserole and turn the oven temperature to 325ºF. Set the rack in the lower third of the oven
- Add the wine and enough stock to cover the meat. Add the tomato paste, garlic, and herbs. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and set in the oven. Regulate the heat so the mixture simmers slowly for 2 ½ to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
- When the meat is tender, remove the beef and bacon and strain the liquid; discard the carrot and onion. Clean out the Dutch oven and return the beef and bacon to it. Skim the fat from the sauce and return it to the pot with the beef and bacon. Add the carrots and cook until the carrots are tender, about 35-40 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the carrots and meat to a serving platter.
- In a small bowl, mix together the butter and flour to form a paste. Add the kneaded butter to the sauce and cook just until the sauce has thickened. Pour the sauce over the meat and serve with the Brown Braised Pearl Onions and Sautéed Mushrooms (recipes follow). The beef, vegetables, and sauce can be made one day in advance (refrigerate the onions and mushrooms separately). Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days. Enjoy!
For the Brown Braised Pearl Onions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place the rack in the upper third of the oven.
- In a medium oven-proof skillet over medium heat, heat the butter and oil. Add the onions and sauté for 10 minutes, rolling the onions frequently so they will brown as evenly as possible. Add the stock, season to taste, and add the thyme. Transfer the onions to the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, turning them once or twice. They should be very tender, retain their shape, and be a nice golden brown. Remove the thyme and serve. Can be cooked in advance and reheated before serving.
For the Sautéed Mushrooms
- In a medium skillet over high heat, melt the butter and oil. Once the butter foam subsides, add the mushrooms. Toss and shake the pan for 4-5 minutes. During the sauté, the mushroom will first absorb the fat. In 2-3 minutes the fat will reappear and the mushrooms will begin to brown. Once browned, remove from the heat and serve. Can be cooked in advance and reheated before serving.
Notes
- The beef stew, pearl onions, and mushrooms can be made one day in advance and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Place stew in oven-safe dish, cover tightly with foil.
- Heat for 25-50 minutes until warmed through, checking periodically.
- In a pot or Dutch oven, heat stew over low flame, stirring occasionally.
- Add a splash of wine or broth if needed to loosen sauce.
- Place stew in slow cooker, set to low for 2-3 hours, stirring periodically.
Nutrition
Calories: 831kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 52g, Fat: 52g, Saturated Fat: 20g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 23g, Trans Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 193mg, Sodium: 1058mg, Potassium: 1567mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 12194IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 95mg, Iron: 6mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I was wondering if you were going to share this one… from Julia of course… thank you! I love how yours looks – the veggies look vibrant. They still have some life left in them 😉
Thanks for sharing this recipe – I'm going to make it for my cousin this week! She's undergoing treatment for breast cancer and has been very sick. I like to bring her something comforting that she can keep around a few days and eat as she's able. This will be perfect!