Description
Classic Beef Bourguignon brings French countryside comfort right to your dinner table, melding rich wine-braised beef with hearty vegetables in a deeply satisfying one-pot masterpiece that’ll make your kitchen smell amazing.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 1 (3-lb) boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 8 oz thick-cut bacon (5–6 slices), cut into ½-inch pieces
Aromatics and Vegetables:
- 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
- 1 medium carrot, sliced into ½-inch rounds (about ⅓ cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz pearl onions (fresh or frozen)
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
Liquids, Seasonings, and Enhancers:
- 1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine (e.g., Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Merlot)
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided (plus more to taste)
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided (plus more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Set your oven to 350°F and position the rack in the lower third of the oven for even cooking.
- Render 8 oz of bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until it turns crispy and golden, about 10-12 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a separate plate, leaving the rendered fat behind.
- Thoroughly pat 3 lbs of beef chuck roast cubes dry with paper towels. Sprinkle 2 tsp kosher salt and ½ tsp black pepper over the meat. Sear the beef in batches in the hot bacon fat, creating a rich brown crust for 2-3 minutes per side.
- Sauté 2 cups of diced onions and ⅓ cup of sliced carrots in the same pot until they soften, approximately 3 minutes. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Incorporate 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook until it darkens, about 1-2 minutes. Dust 3 tbsp of flour over the vegetables, stirring to coat evenly, and cook for another minute.
- Pour the entire 750-ml bottle of red wine into the pot, scraping up all the flavorful browned bits from the bottom. Add 1 cup of beef broth, 5 thyme sprigs, 2 bay leaves, and ½ tsp salt.
- Return the crispy bacon and seared beef to the pot. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Cover the Dutch oven and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 2 hours until the beef becomes incredibly tender.
Notes
- Always pat the beef completely dry before searing to ensure a beautiful brown crust that locks in flavor and creates amazing caramelization.
- Choose a robust red wine like Burgundy or Pinot Noir for authentic depth, but avoid anything too expensive since cooking will transform the wine’s characteristics.
- Cut beef into uniform 2-inch chunks so they cook evenly and become equally tender during the long, slow braising process.
- Make this dish ahead of time because the flavors develop and intensify overnight, making the next-day serving even more delicious and allowing fat to solidify for easy skimming.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Beef
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 487 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 615 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg