Beef Bourguignon (French Red-Wine Beef Stew)
Beef Bourguignon is the ultimate French comfort food! It yields fall-apart tender beef in a rich red wine sauce, finished with dark chocolate for incredible depth. Serve over mashed potatoes for a stunning, soul-warming meal.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 ounces bacon roughly chopped
- 3 pounds beef brisket, cut the beef into large, 2-inch chunks
- 2 large carrots, sliced ½-inch thick
- 1 large white onion large, diced
- 6 shallots, thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic minced, divided
- 1 large pinch coarse salt
- 1 pinch ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp flour, you can use gluten free if you need to
- 1 bottle red wine Pinot Noir, or Red Burgundy
- 2 cups beef stock
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 beef bouillon cubes crushed
- 2 Tbsp fresh thyme finely chopped
- ½ cup fresh parsley finely chopped, divided
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pound crimini mushrooms , or white mushrooms, sliced
- 2 Tbsp butter, OR MORE!
- 1 oz good quality chocolate, at the end 1 or 2 squares of dark chocolate (typically 70-80% cocoa or more) or unsweetened chocolate
- More parsley for serving, finely chopped
- Mashed potatoes, for serving
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the oil and sauté the bacon over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until crispy browned. Transfer to a large dish and set aside. Keep the bacon grease in the pot.
- Prepare the meat (cut the beef into large, 2-inch chunks). Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Sear the beef in the bacon grease in batches until each batch is browned on all sides. Add the beef to the dish with the bacon.
- In the remaining oil/bacon fat, sauté the carrots, diced onions, and shallots until softened for 3 minutes, then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Drain excess fat (leave about 1 tablespoon in the pan) and return the bacon and beef back into the pot; season with ½ teaspoon coarse salt and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper. Sprinkle with flour, toss well and cook for 4-5 minutes to brown.
- Add the wine and enough stock so that the meat is barely covered. Then add the tomato paste, bullion and herbs (only 1/4 cup of parsley). Bring to a simmer on the stove.
- Cover, transfer the pot to the lower part of the oven and cook for 2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is fall apart tender (adjust the heat so that the liquid simmers very slowly).
- Toward the end of the cooking time, prepare the mushrooms:
- Heat the butter in a medium-sized skillet/pan overheat and add 2 cloves crushed garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute), then add in the mushrooms. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Once they are browned, set aside.
- DO THIS IN YOUR SINK: Place a colander over a large pot. Remove the pot of meat from the oven and carefully spoon the contents into the colander (you want to collect the sauce only). Discard the herbs!
- Return the beef mixture back into the Dutch oven or pot. Add the mushrooms over the meat. Put back on the stove top and simmer for a couple of minutes and spoon off any fat while it is simmering.
- The sauce you collected through the colander should be about 2 ½ cups of sauce; and barely thick.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock. If the sauce is too thin, boil it over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until reduced to the right consistency.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper, if desired. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.
- LAST STEP: Do not miss this last step. While the Beef Bourguignon is almost finished and simmering on the stove (before serving) >> ADD IN THE CHOCOLATE and allow it to melt. Stir gently.
- If you are serving immediately, simmer the beef bourguignon for 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
- Garnish with parsley and serve over mashed potatoes! [We always make homemade but if you are in a bind, you can buy pre-made.]
Notes
Sandy’s tips:
- Storage: Store leftover beef bourguignon in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Remove from the refrigerator for at least an hour before reheating over medium low, allowing it to simmer gently for about 10 minutes, basting the meat and veggies with the sauce.
- Freezer: Once completely cool, store this French beef stew with sauce in the freezer for up to 3 months, either in an airtight container or individual portions in freezer-safe bags. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat to serve.
- Large pot: A Dutch oven works the best when making this red wine beef stew, but you can use a regular large pot too. Just make sure that the pot you use is big enough to hold all of the ingredients comfortably for even cooking and no spilling over.
- Don’t skip the chocolate: The small amount of dark chocolate stirred in at the very end is non-negotiable. It won't taste chocolaty but will add a profound depth and silky richness that elevates the entire dish!
- Serving: This is our favorite Mashed Potato recipe to serve with this beef dish.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 555kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 42g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 127mg, Sodium: 710mg, Potassium: 1301mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 2710IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 5mg