Skip to main content

Boeuf Bourguignon

Image may contain Food Dish Meal Bowl and Stew
Boeuf BourguignonJames Merrell
  • Active Time

    1 1/4 hr

  • Total Time

    4 1/4 hr

Boeuf bourguignon may be made 1 day ahead. Cool, uncovered, then chill, covered (it tastes even better made ahead because it gives the flavors time to develop). If making ahead, it's easier to remove fat from surface after chilling.

Ingredients

8 servings

1/4 pound thick-sliced bacon
3 pounds boneless beef chuck
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup brandy
1 (4-inch) piece of celery
4 fresh parsley stems (no leaves)
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves (not California)
2 cloves
2 onions, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine (preferably Burgundy or Côtes du Rhône)
1 pound small (1 1/2-inch) boiling onions or pearl onions
1pound mushrooms, quartered if large
Accompaniment: peeled boiled potatoes tossed with butter and parsley

Special Equipment

kitchen string

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cook bacon in boiling salted water 3 minutes, then drain.

    Step 2

    Pat beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Divide flour and beef between 2 (1-quart) sealable plastic bags, seal, then shake to coat meat.

    Step 3

    Heat 1‚ tablespoons oil and 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown beef well on all sides in 2 or 3 batches, without crowding, adding remaining ‚ tablespoon oil as needed. Transfer to a bowl.

    Step 4

    Pour off any excess oil from pot, then add brandy to pot. Deglaze by boiling over high heat 1 minute, stirring and scraping up brown bits, then pour over beef.

    Step 5

    Tie celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and cloves together with kitchen string to make a bouquet garni (tuck cloves into celery so they don’t fall out).

    Step 6

    Heat 1 tablespoon butter in cleaned pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté bacon, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chopped onions, garlic, and carrots, then sauté, stirring, until onions are pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine, meat with juices, and bouquet garni and simmer gently, partially covered, until meat is tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

    Step 7

    While meat simmers, blanch boiling onions in boiling salted water 1 minute and drain in a colander. Rinse under cold running water, then peel.

    Step 8

    Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then saut
 boiling onions, stirring occasionally, until browned in patches. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 cups water (1 1/2 cups if using pearl onions), then simmer, partially covered, until onions are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a glaze, 5 to 10 minutes.

    Step 9

    Heat remaining tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then saut
 mushrooms, stirring, until golden brown and any liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

    Step 10

    Stir onions and mushrooms into stew and cook 10 minutes. Remove bouquet garni and skim any fat from surface of stew. Season with salt and pepper.

Cooks' Note

Boeuf bourguignon may be made 1 day ahead. Cool, uncovered, then chill, covered (it tastes even better made ahead because it gives the flavors time to develop). If making ahead, it's easier to remove fat from surface after chilling.

Sign In or Subscribe
to leave a Rating or Review

How would you rate Boeuf Bourguignon?

Leave a Review

Reviews (138)

Back to TopTriangle
  • This was great and all my guests raved! I made it the day before to meld the flavors and to skim off the fat, but I didn't see any. I used chuck tenderloin roasts so maybe they were leaner. I browned the mushrooms and onions the day before but didn't add them until the next day reheat. I doubled the recipe and baked it in 2 6 qt pots. I was worried that it wouldn't work if I crowded everything in one pot, but it would have been fine because each pot ended up being about 1/3 full. Browning the mushrooms and onions were worth the time for the flavor payoff, but peeling the onions was a PITA so I'll try using frozen pearl onions next time and see how they brown. Other reviewers said that they used one bottle of wine when they doubled it and I did too. I needed to add a few cups of beef broth on the reheat as it seemed a little tight and adding wine at that point would have been too raw tasting. Next time I will add both bottles of wine. Really watch the reheat and make sure it is on low as I alllllmost scorched one batch. If you can find the video of Julia Child making this it is worth a watch for some techniques and tips and plus she's a delight. :)

    • jenf5

    • Baltimore

    • 12/25/2019

  • I've made this several times and it is always excellent. Great for a crowd because it can be made the day before and reheated. I follow the recipe exactly, which is rare for me. A few tips, while the beef is searing in batches, chop the vegetables. Use a cheap wine, the jammier, the better (here's looking at you, Jam Jar). Keep the lid mostly on during the simmer, that will keep the liquid from evaporating. It shouldn't be necessary to either add broth or to thicken the gravy with a slurry. I serve this over spaetzle because I really love spaetzle and don't have enough reasons to make it!

    • hcb23

    • Columbus, OH

    • 11/11/2018

  • I know it's a French thing to blanche bacon or salt pork, but never really liked that way of preparation. If you think bacon is too smoky or salty, a good alternative is to use pancetta. Less salt and smoke and you still get the fat and bacon taste.

    • Anonymous

    • Rochester, NY

    • 4/1/2016

  • Wow! Absolutely delicious and worth making a day in advance. I followed the instructions with only a few very minor modifications (used minced garlic and frozen pearl onions) and then let the bourguignon cool to room temperature after cooking before putting it in the refrigerator. I reheated it at 275 for the first 60 minutes and then finished at 325 for the last 30 minutes. Paired with mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and a glass of cabernet. Will definitely make again.

    • Anonymous

    • Charleston, SC

    • 3/13/2016

  • Fabulous! Worth every minute of the cooking time!

    • connieottawa

    • Ottawa, Ontario

    • 12/25/2015

  • This is my Go To recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon. I use shoulder chuck roast and cut up my own size cubes, so they are uniform, and not as small as stewing beef. I do follow the recipe, but I follow Julia Child's meathod of thickening the sauce if required. Two tablespoons of butter plus 2 tbs of flour, make a paste, add to the sauce at the end, bring to a boil for a minute or two, and voila! I have never received anything less than a rave on this recipe. I like to make it the day before, as the flavours intensify overnight after being chilled. Love, love, love this delightful meal!

    • rocky10

    • Langley, B.C. Canada

    • 11/17/2015

  • Delicious - followed the recipe quite closely and had no problems at all. Served with Jamie Oliver's blue cheese/walnut/bacon salad and a 2010 Laurus Gigondas.

    • bneuf

    • Victoria, BC

    • 11/16/2015

  • THIS was a winner. I don't cook much and I'm mostly vegan but I prepared this for a date. I expected to freeze half of it for another visit - nothing to freeze. I cut no corners, simmering the meat for 4 hours in a lovely Louis Latour Burgundy. It smelled AMAZING, even to me. I served it with a crusty baguette, of course, and a very nice Paul Autard Côte du Rhône

    • YVRTrish

    • Vancouver, BC

    • 4/12/2015

  • Love Beef Bourguignon! I found this a bit hard to follow, but I ended up finding a step-by-step recipe that was a major help www.thegrumpygourmand.com I also used the whole tomatoes/tomato sauce on that recipe v. the tomato paste. It was absolutely delicious.

    • Chefasaurus

    • New York, NY

    • 1/12/2015

  • Made this for New Years Eve using 4 pots for 40 people, with my sister. Followed recipe except used shallots instead of boiling onions. Also - was in Ireland, so used Irish bacon/rashers and missed the part where only used for the fat, so threw them back in pot before putting into oven. Also - did not need to do last step - it was perfect consistency without (may have left in oven longer than suggested). it was absolutely wonderful and enjoyed by all. Back in US and going to make again this weekend (for smaller number!)

    • MaryKirk

    • California

    • 1/7/2015

  • The recipe is an obvious knock off of Julia Child's recipe...moreover...the instructions are inaccurate/incomplete - when you get to the part where you are cooking the onions and mushrooms...these directions say to cook onions/mushrooms WHILE the stew is simmering...really? When? Right now?...hours from now? Then it says to add mushrooms/onions to stew and cook for 10 minutes...remove bouquet garni...and voila - indicating that the dish is done! Most people would cook and add this just after the stew is starting to simmer...which is 3 hours too soon! If you want a more accurate recipe - heres Julia's: http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/julia-childs-beef-bourguignon/f7e0a6c5-710d-4c83-89a6-2a4936fec81a

    • THEBDC

    • Florida

    • 12/31/2014

  • This can't be beat. I have had this dish in Paris and the recipe here matches what I have had in France. I did not blanch the bacon and used regular onions vs pearl onions and I put blanched potatoes in towards the end. Rave reviews from all who enjoyed. A keeper!

    • camster6

    • Ottawa, On

    • 12/27/2014

  • This is, hands down, the best Boef Bourguignon I have ever tasted, at home or in restaurants (including in France). This recipe has just replaced my previous Boeuf Bourguignon recipe, from Antony Bourdain¿s book, which is otherwise fantastic. Other than some minor tweaks, I did not blanch the bacon and added the flour only after the meat and the onions were braised, following my usual procedure. I let it simmer on very low heat for about four hours, until the meat was very tender, finished it, and served it only the following day. It was perfectly balanced, extremely tasty, incredible. Side dishes were mashed potatoes (following Antony winning Bourdain¿s recipe) and roasted asparagus.

    • Rainers_Diner

    • São Paulo, Brazil

    • 11/18/2014

  • This is a dynamite recipe! This is the second time I've used this recipe and it is a true winner. I followed the recipe exactly, except like other reviewers I did not Blanche the bacon before sautéing. Used organic free range responsibly farmed beef cut into 2-3 inch pieces. I also added a 1/2 btl of wine (syrah/cab) to the noted 1 btl per the recipe, and I cooked on very low simmer for about 2.5hrs longer (total 6.5hrs) since I wanted the dish warm when my guests arrived. Doing this, even though I prepared it and cooked the same day, the result was a rich gravy-like consistency with tons of flavor! Served with rosemary and thyme roasted potatoes and garlic. With a starter entree of mesclun salad in homemade vinagrette with carmelized walnuts, fresh pear, and a goat cheese tartlet with carmelized onions. Absolutely scrumptious!

    • mmmckeegan

    • France

    • 11/10/2014

  • Fabulous. Made this for family Christmas a few years ago and my son-in-law with wonder in his eyes said to me, "This is the best thing I ever put in my mouth". High compliments from a picky eater. I have made this recipe numerous times, and even used it as a teaching moment for the beauty of braising and what happens to meat and a wine sauce when it cooks for hours while showing one of my girls how to make the dish. The meat should be cut into large chunks (1 1/2 to 2 inches) to answer another reviewers question.

    • CharleneB

    • Indianapolis, IN

    • 10/23/2014

Read More
Instant espresso powder and smoky-sweet bourbon lend big flavor to a delectable braising liquid that begs to blanket a bowl of mashed potatoes.
Dark and moody in color but surprisingly bright and light to eat, this satisfying dish comes together in just 30 minutes.
Think creamed onions but reimagined with the flavors of alla vodka sauce: tomato paste, heavy cream, Parmesan, and (yup, you guessed it) vodka.
This homey one-pot stew boasts a short ingredient list but tons of complex flavors, built over three hours in a mostly hands-off braise.
Teamed up with chips, this dip is the most popular snack in town. Or be like us and call it dinner.
This chicken stew seasoned with aromatic spices, tomato, and sofrito is ideal comfort for cold evenings.
This rustic French soup is perfect cold weather comfort food—best made a day in advance and reheated to serve.
Plopped on a creamy tomato sauce, these peppers are a repeat-worthy one-dish dinner.