Traditional French Dishes
Learn to Prepare Boeuf Bourguignon: Traditional French Recipe
A French stew of tender beef, red wine, and vegetables, cooked slowly to obtain a deep and aromatic sauce. Ideal for a special meal and to accompany with crispy bread, potatoes, or fresh pasta.
Boeuf bourguignon, originating from Burgundy, combines golden-brown meat, bacon, red wine, herbs, and prolonged cooking to concentrate the flavors. The onions and mushrooms are added at the end to preserve their texture better.
01
Ingredients
Have everything ready before you begin.
- ✓1.2 kg of beef stew meat, in large pieces
- ✓150 g of bacon or pancetta
- ✓2 yellow onions
- ✓2 carrots
- ✓3 cloves of garlic
- ✓30 g of wheat flour
- ✓750 ml of dry red wine
- ✓400 ml of beef broth
- ✓30 g of tomato paste
- ✓250 g of mushrooms
- ✓200 g of small onions
- ✓30 g of butter
- ✓1 tablespoon of olive oil
- ✓Thyme, bay leaf, and parsley
- ✓Salt to taste
- ✓Black pepper to taste
02
Step-by-step method
- 01
Dry the meat
Dry the meat very well with paper towels. If the pot is not large, plan to brown it in batches to avoid the pieces piling up.
- 02
Brown the bacon
Heat a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and the bacon in strips or small cubes. Cook for five minutes, until it is golden brown and has released some of its fat. Remove it and reserve the fat in the pot.
- 03
Sear the meat
Increase the heat to medium-high. Season the meat with salt and pepper and brown it in several batches, sealing all its sides. Remove it along with the bacon.
- 04
Sauté the vegetables
Add the chopped onions and the carrots in thick slices. Cook for five or six minutes, stirring to take advantage of the juices from the bottom. Add the chopped garlic and cook for one minute more.
- 05
Thicken the preparation
Return the meat and bacon to the pot. Sprinkle the flour and mix for one minute. Add the tomato paste and stir until the meat and vegetables are covered.
- 06
Deglaze with wine
Pour the red wine slowly while scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let it boil for about three minutes to reduce it slightly.
- 07
Add broth and herbs
Add the beef broth and the sprig of thyme, bay leaf, and parsley. The liquid should almost completely cover the meat. Bring the preparation to a gentle boil, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. You can also continue cooking in a preheated oven at 160 °C.
- 08
Cook slowly
Cook the stew for two and a half hours, or until the meat can be easily pierced with a fork. Stir every forty minutes and maintain a very gentle boil. If using the oven, keep the pot covered and check occasionally.
- 09
Prepare the garnishes
Clean the mushrooms with a cloth or brush, cut them in halves or quarters depending on their size, and peel the small onions.
- 10
Sauté the onions and mushrooms
Melt the butter in a separate pan over medium heat. Add the small onions and cook until they are golden brown and tender, about eight minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they take on color and lose some of their moisture.
- 11
Adjust the sauce
When the meat is tender, remove the sprig of herbs. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and pepper. If it is too liquid, leave the pot uncovered over medium heat for a few minutes; if it has reduced too much, add a small stream of broth.
- 12
Add the garnishes
Add the small onions and mushrooms during the last ten minutes of cooking, so they integrate without falling apart.
- 13
Let the stew rest
Let the stew rest for at least fifteen minutes before serving. To intensify the flavors, you can let it rest and reheat it the next day.
- 14
Serve the boeuf bourguignon
Serve hot: place the meat first, then the mushrooms and small onions, and finish with plenty of sauce. The meat should be soft but retain its shape.
- Dry the meat very well before browning it and cook it in batches to achieve a caramelized surface.
- Keep the stew at a very low heat so the meat stays tender.
- Do not add the mushrooms from the beginning; they could become too soft and lose texture.
- You can substitute the small onions with white onion cut into small wedges.
- Accompany the dish with cooked potatoes, mashed potatoes, fresh pasta, or crispy bread.
- If you can't find Burgundy wine, use a good quality dry red wine, not too sweet.