Julia Child once said that beef bourguignon was “one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man” and Julia is always right.
Beef bourguignon is a traditional French dish of beef braised in red wine and beef stock. It is one of the most decadent savory dishes that I can think of. After braising in the oven for several hours, the sauce becomes a luscious treat that you will never forget. The ingredients in beef bourguignon come together in an elegant, yet hearty way that is guaranteed to please any house guest.
Get your largest braiser or Dutch Oven and let’s start making beef bourguignon…
To get started, you will need 2 pounds of a good quality beef chuck and 8 ounces of pancetta diced small. If you can’t find pancetta, you can substitute the same amount of bacon. You will also need 4 large carrots, 3 ribs of celery, 16 ounces of mushrooms, 4 cloves of garlic and 8 ounces of cipollini onions. If you can’t find cipollini onions, you can substitute any pearl onions or 1 medium yellow onion.
From the pantry, you will need 1/4 cup of all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika,1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, 1 1/2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2 cups of beef broth, 2 cups of red wine, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.
Begin by browning 8 ounces of finely diced pancetta in a large braiser or Dutch Oven. This entire dish is made in one pot and it fit perfectly in my 5 quart Le Creuset braiser, but if you don’t have a braiser that large, you could use a large Dutch Oven or any really big oven safe skillet.
While the pancetta is crisping up, cube 2 pounds of beef chuck and transfer it into a medium bowl.
Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Add 1/4 cup of all purpose flour and mix until all of the beef is coated in flour and seasoning.
Once the pancetta is brown and crispy, transfer it into a plate with a slotted spoon and set it aside. Now, brown the beef in the fat left behind from the pancetta.
While the beef is browning, peel and thinly slice 4 large carrots, thinly slice 3 ribs of celery, thick cut 16 ounces of mushrooms, finely dice or paste 4 cloves of garlic and prepare the onions.
*If you are using cipollini or pearl onions, peel them, but leave them whole. If you are using a medium yellow onion, chop into 1/2 inch chunks.
Once the beef is browned on all sides, transfer it onto a plate and set it aside.
Add the carrots, celery, mushrooms and onions into the pot and cook for 5-7 minutes. Once they have slightly softened, transfer them onto a plate and set them aside.
Add the garlic and cook for 60 seconds, stirring constantly.
Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of tomato paste and stir to soften and combine with the garlic.
Add 1 1/2 cup of beef stock and scrape all of the brown bits from the sides and bottom of the pot to make sure that they are all incorporated into the sauce.
Stir 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into the remaining 1/2 cup of beef stock and set it aside.
Add 2 cups of red wine (any good burgundy or pinot noir works great!) and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and bring the sauce to a boil over medium high heat.
Once the sauce is boiling, add the beef stock and cornstarch and stir to combine. Turn the heat off and add the browned pancetta, beef and softened vegetables.
Cover the pot and carefully transfer it into an oven preheated to 350 degrees. Cook for 2 hours.
After braising for 2 hours, the red wine and beef stock has reduced into a thick, luxurious sauce. The beef is super tender and the vegetables have a wonderful texture. The flavor is warm and inviting.
Beef bourguignon is typically served with potatoes, either boiled or mashed. I chose my favorite classic mashed potato recipe to go with this beef bourguignon and they paired perfectly. Garnish with some finely chopped parsley and serve alongside a crusty baguette or some soft French bread for finishing that last bit of sauce on your plate.
This recipe will make approximately six servings, so invite your friends! Beef bourguignon is not very complicated to make, but will absolutely impress anyone you serve it to. I love that it feels homey enough to have on a chilly winter night with your flannels on, yet it is definitely elegant enough to serve at a formal dinner party. There are not too many dishes that you can say that about, but this beautiful plate can fit into any situation you need it for.
Enjoy!!
Beef Bourguignon
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cubed
- 8 ounces pancetta, diced
- 4 large carrots, peeled, sliced
- 3 ribs of celery, sliced
- 16 ounces mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 8 ounces whole cipollini onions or 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups red wine
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- fresh parsley, finely chopped (garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Brown 8 ounces of pancetta in a large braiser or Dutch oven and then transfer it onto a plate and set it aside
- Cube 2 pounds of beef chuck and place into a medium bowl
- Add 1/4 cup of all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper and mix until all of the beef is coated and well seasoned
- Brown the beef in the fat rendered from the pancetta and then transfer it onto a plate and set it aside
- Cook the carrots, celery, mushrooms and onions until they begin to soften and then transfer them onto a plate and set aside
- Add the garlic and cook for 60 second, stirring constantly
- Add the tomato paste and stir to combine
- Add 1 1/2 cups of beef stock and scrape all of the brown bits from the bottom and sides of the pot to ensure that they are incorporated into the sauce
- Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into the remaining 1/2 cup of beef stock and set aside
- Add 2 cups of red wine and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and bring the sauce to a boil
- Once boiling, add the beef stock and cornstarch mixture and then turn off the heat
- Transfer the browned pancetta, beef and softened vegetables into the sauce
- Cover the pot and carefully transfer it into the oven on a rack in the medium to lower medium setting (depending on how tall your pot is)
- Braise for 2 hours
- Serve with mashed potatoes and garnish with finely chopped parsley
