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Boeuf Bourguignon

The Quirky Foodster Team

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40 minutes
Prep
195 minutes
Cook

Ingredients

  • 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) Beef chuck, cut into large cubes
  • 150 g (5 oz) Bacon lardons
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 750 ml (3 cups) Full-bodied red Burgundy wine
  • 500 ml (2 cups) Beef stock
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 1 bouquet garni (bay, thyme, parsley stems)
  • 250 g (9 oz) Button mushrooms, quartered
  • 12 pearl onions, peeled
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

  1. Brown lardons in a Dutch oven until crisp; remove and set aside, keeping the fat.
  2. Pat beef dry, season, and brown in batches in the same fat until deeply coloured; set aside.
  3. Sauté onion and carrots in the same pot until softened, then stir in garlic and tomato paste.
  4. Return beef and lardons to the pot; sprinkle over flour and stir to coat.
  5. Pour in red wine and beef stock, add bouquet garni, and bring to a simmer.
  6. Cover and braise at 150°C (300°F) for 2.5-3 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
  7. Meanwhile, sauté mushrooms and pearl onions in olive oil until golden.
  8. Stir the mushrooms and onions into the stew for the final 20 minutes of cooking.
  9. Discard bouquet garni, adjust seasoning, and serve hot.

Introduction: This Burgundian braise transforms tough cuts of beef into a silky, wine-rich stew, historically a peasant dish using the region’s abundant red wine to slow-cook meat over many hours.

Cultural Background: This Burgundian braise transforms tough cuts of beef into a silky, wine-rich stew, historically a peasant dish using the region’s abundant red wine to slow-cook meat over many hours. It became internationally famous through Julia Child’s adaptation of French classics.

Tips: Use a wine you would actually drink — its quality directly shapes the finished sauce’s flavour.

Variations: Some cooks marinate the beef in wine overnight before cooking for extra depth of flavour. Replace beef and lardons with hearty mushrooms (portobello, king oyster) and use a rich vegetable stock; add a splash of soy sauce for umami depth. Follow the vegetarian substitution and ensure the wine used is vegan-certified (some wines use animal-derived fining agents).

Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days; the flavour improves after a day or two.

Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of stock if the sauce has thickened too much.

FAQs:

Q: Can I make this in a slow cooker?

A: Yes — brown the meat and vegetables first as directed, then transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

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