Description
A classic French beef stew slowly simmered in red wine with pearl onions, carrots, mushrooms, and aromatic herbs, creating a rich, tender, and flavorful Beef Bourguignon perfect for hearty family meals.
Ingredients
Meat and Marinade
- 2.2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into large chunks (about 1½ to 2 inches)
- 4 cups dry red wine (for marinating)
- 20 pearl onions, peeled
- 3 carrots, medium, cut into chunky pieces
- 3 cloves garlic
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves, dried
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil (or neutral oil)
- 9 oz button mushrooms (or cremini mushrooms), quartered
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups beef stock (low sodium)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Marinate the beef and vegetables: Combine beef chuck, red wine, pearl onions, carrots, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves in a nonreactive container. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours to infuse flavors and tenderize the meat.
- Prepare ingredients after marinating: Strain the marinade, reserving the wine. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and set aside the vegetables and herbs separately. Lightly season the beef with salt and black pepper.
- Sear the beef: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 6 to 7 quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef chunks in batches until deeply browned on all sides, adding more oil if needed. Transfer the browned beef to a plate.
- Cook mushrooms: Add the quartered mushrooms to the empty pot with no oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid and become lightly colored. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl.
- Sauté pearl onions and garlic: Pat pearl onions dry. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pot and sauté the onions until lightly golden. Stir in the marinated garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Transfer onions and garlic to the bowl with mushrooms.
- Reduce marinating wine: Pour the reserved wine into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, skim any foam, and simmer until reduced by about half. The aroma should mellow and the wine look slightly syrupy at the edges.
- Create the stew base: Melt butter in the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add marinated carrots along with thyme and bay leaves and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over ingredients and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture resembles damp sand.
- Add liquids and combine: Slowly pour in 4 cups of beef stock while stirring to form a smooth base. Add the reduced wine and stir until the sauce is glossy. Return browned beef and any collected juices to the pot, adding more stock if necessary so meat is just covered.
- Simmer the stew: Bring mixture to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and cook on low heat or in a 325°F oven until beef is very tender, approximately 2½ to 3 hours.
- Add vegetables towards the end: In the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the sautéed mushrooms, pearl onions, and garlic cloves. Continue simmering until vegetables are plump and the sauce lightly coats a spoon.
- Finish and serve: Remove thyme stems and bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Let the stew rest for 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve warm.
Notes
- For best results, marinate the beef at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours to develop deep flavor and tenderness.
- Use a heavy Dutch oven for even heat distribution and perfect slow simmering.
- Be sure to pat beef very dry before browning to get a good sear which locks in flavor.
- If you prefer, substitute cremini mushrooms for button mushrooms for a deeper mushroom flavor.
- Adjust seasoning after cooking, as the wine reduction and beef stock may add varying saltiness.
- Serve with crusty bread, buttered noodles, or creamy mashed potatoes to soak up the rich sauce.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 12-24 hours marinating)
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Stew
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
