Beef Bourguignon Recipe

Don’t let the fancy name fool you; this Beef Bourguignon recipe is actually easy to make!

A French classic, this stew is filled with tender beef, vegetables, and bacon all slow-cooked in a rich, red wine broth.

It’s a complete meal in just one pot with a rich red wine gravy.
It’s fancy to say, fancy to eat, and easy to make—this is a simplified version of a Julia Child recipe.
The beef is slow-cooked until it’s melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the flavor is unmatched.
This meal is great to prep ahead since it reheats and freezes well.

What Goes Into Beef Bourguignon

Beef: My first choice is always beef chuck since it comes out so incredibly tender. I buy a roast, trim off the fat, and cut it into 1-inch cubes. You can also use stewing beef, round steak, or brisket.

Bacon: Bacon adds flavor and salt to this recipe, and the fat is used to simmer the beef.

Wine: Wine flavors the broth in addition to tenderizing the beef. Choose a dry red like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Burgundy. No need for pricey bottles of wine for cooking, although Julia preferred to ‘test’ the wine while she cooked—and I’m right there with her!

Vegetables: This cozy country stew uses onions, carrots, mushrooms, and potatoes. You can add other root vegetables as well.

Seasonings: Use fresh or dried herbs in this recipe. Other flavor boosters include bacon,

I add the potatoes to the stew as I like it all to cook at once—I find it a bit easier since I don’t need to cook a second side dish.

If you’d prefer, leave the potatoes out of the stew and spoon the stew over mashed potatoes or homemade egg noodles. Other veggies to add are celery, diced sweet potatoes, or pearl onions.

chuck cubes for Beef Bourguignon being browned in a pan

How to Make Beef Bourguignon

Cook the bacon until crisp. Set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
Sear the chunks of beef and soften the onion.
Stir in remaining ingredients, cover, and bake (recipe below).
Stir half the bacon, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with the remaining bacon.

While it seems fancy, it’s actually easy to make! Serve it with crusty bread for dipping and dunking.

Holly’s Tips and Tricks

Wine is an essential ingredient in this beef bourguignon recipe. If you don’t have wine, I would recommend making either beef stew or a goulash for a similar dish.
Cooking low and slow ensures the most tender meat. If the meat is not tender, it needs more time.
The onions will dissolve into the sauce—if you’d like chunks of onion in the stew, soften them with a bit of butter and add them after 90 minutes of cooking.
Thicken beef bourguignon further with cornstarch slurry. Combine 2 tablespoons each of cornstarch and cold water. Drizzle into the simmering stew while whisking to thicken—you may not need all the mixture.

Storage and Leftovers

Beef bourguignon is one of those meals that tastes just as good (or even better) the next day. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat on the stovetop. Freeze portions in zippered bags for up to 4 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

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Beef Bourguignon is an elegant stew with tender meat and vegetables in a red wine gravy.

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes

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Preheat the oven to 325°F.
In a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it’s crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate, leaving the fat in the pot.
Gently dab the beef dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Increase the stove to medium-high and sear the beef, in small batches, until browned. Once browned, transfer to a plate.
In the same pot, add the onions and carrots. You can add a bit of oil if needed. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions soften slightly.
Add the browned beef to the pot and sprinkle with flour, stirring to coat. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the broth all at once and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot.
Add wine, mushrooms, potatoes (if using), tomato paste, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Cover the pot with a lid and transfer it to the oven. Bake the stew for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until the beef is fork-tender.
Remove the bay leaf and stir in ¾ of the bacon. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Garnish with remaining bacon.

Potatoes can be added to this stew or leave them out and serve the stew over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Use baby potatoes, red potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes.
Choose a dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir, Cabernet, or Merlot. Wine is needed to flavor this recipe.
To Thicken stew further after baking, combine equal parts cornstarch and water. Add to simmering stew a little bit at a time while whisking to reach desired consistency.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Beef, Dinner, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine American, French

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