A Warming Beef Bourguignon Stew Recipe
Let’s all say it together now: boor-gi-nyon.
OK, with our French lesson taken care of, we can get down to talking about what makes this recipe worth the tongue twisting (it means “from Burgundy,” by the way), as well as why it’s worth spending an afternoon tending to it as it slowly bubbles away in the oven. This stew is perhaps the classiest way to do comfort food: a rustic, hearty melange of root veggies and beef, but in a luxurious red wine broth. When it’s gray, chilly, and gloomy out, this is exactly you want to be eating.
One of the nice things about beef bourguignon is that it works well with less expensive cuts of beef. Any of FreshDirect’s beef stew cubes will do here, which are expertly cut by our butchers using meat from our local Angus and grass-fed programs. You could also try another cut that’s suited for slow cooking—we particularly love country-style short ribs for stews because of their nice balance of muscle and fat.
While you’re gathering the ingredients, don’t forget to pick up a bottle of red wine from FreshDirect Wine & Spirits to use for the base. Virtually any dry red will work here, and it certainly doesn’t need to be fancy. But if you really wanna play up the “boor-gi-nyon,” you could always grab one of our Burgundy wines.
Since there’s a good deal of broth in the finished dish, you’ll want something starchy to soak up the liquid. Mashed or roasted potatoes do the trick, or you can just grab a good loaf of crusty bread.
Get the recipe below and shop the ingredients on FreshDirect.
Beef Bourguignon Stew Recipe
Serves 6-8
What you’ll need:
3 pounds beef chuck or other stew meat, cut into cubes
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
8 ounces bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons flour
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
1 bottle dry red wine
8 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into thick pieces
8 ounces pearl onions, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Chopped parsley, to garnish
What to do:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Pat beef dry with paper towels. Season all over with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Let rest 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a heavy pot over medium low, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add bacon, cut into pieces and cook, tossing occasionally, until crispy. Remove from pot with a slotted spoon.
Increase heat to medium. Add beef in a single layer and cook in rendered fat until well-browned all over, turning occasionally. Remove from pot once done.
Add onion, carrots, and a pinch of salt to pot and cook, stirring, until softened, 7–10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in garlic and tomato paste. Cook 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute more. Return beef and its juices to pot, along with half of the bacon, thyme sprig, bay leaf, and red wine. Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, in a large pan over medium heat, heat remaining tablespoon oil. Add mushrooms, trimmed pearl onions, sugar, salt, and pepper. Pour in 1/2 cup water. Cover pan and cook 10 minutes. Remove lid and continue cooking until liquid is mostly evaporated. Stir mushrooms, onions, and remaining bacon into stew once it’s done cooking. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
More stew recipes:
• Spanish-Style Cod Stew
• Turkey Chili with Pumpkin
• Lighter Cioppino
• Lamb Tagine