Beef Bourguignon features pieces of chuck roast slow cooked in a red wine gravy until perfectly tender. Serve over mashed potatoes for an elegant but surprisingly easy dinner.
Classic Beef Bourguignon Recipe
Beef bourguignon may sound fancy but I think this recipe will surprise you in how straightforward it is to make!
While this is not a quick 30-minute dinner, it is pretty easy and requires no special tools or skills. In fact, you’ll only need two pans! The hands-on time is just about 45 minutes, while the oven takes care of the rest. As with any recipe made with chuck roast, the key is cooking this dish low and slow.
Watch The Recipe Video!
Beef bourguignon makes the perfect recipe for Sunday dinner, or to serve some special dinner guests.
Why You’ll Love This Beef Burgundy
Here are a few reasons you’ll love making this recipe.
- Incredible flavor. This savory dish is not lacking in flavor! The red wine adds such a great flavor to this dish, alongside the other ingredients.
- Tender pieces of meat. Since this dish is cooked at a simmer low and slow, the beef chuck roast becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- Easier than you think. Though beef burgundy may be considered a “fancy” meal, it’s easier to make than you may think. All you need is one pan and a bit of time.
What Is Beef Bourguignon?
Beef bourguignon, also known as beef burgundy, is a classic French recipe. It’s made with pieces of chuck roast (or other stew meat) slow cooked in a red wine gravy sauce, alongside onions, carrots, and mushrooms.
Recipe Ingredients
Don’t be alarmed by the long ingredient list – beef bourguignon is made with easy-to-find ingredients that you may already have on hand. See the recipe card below for measurements.
- Chuck roast – See notes below for other options. Cut into 2″ cubes.
- Salt & pepper
- Bacon – Thick cut bacon is best for this recipe.
- Onions & carrots – Both vegetables should be thinly sliced to add flavor to the dish.
- Garlic
- Tomato paste – Adds a rich, slightly acidic tomato flavor to the sauce.
- All-purpose flour – Helps to thicken the sauce.
- Red wine – See notes below for suggestions.
- Beef bouillon – Beef bouillon cubes are more of the classic beef flavor to the gravy.
- Herbs – Bay leaves and fresh thyme are used for additional flavor.
- Mushrooms – Add substance and texture to the dish.
- Olive oil
- Brown sugar – Helps to balance out the other flavors.
What Cut Of Beef Is Best For Beef Bourguignon?
Chuck roast is my go-to for beef bourguignon but you can use beef brisket or any stewing beef instead.
What’s The Best Red Wine For Beef Bourguignon?
Cabernet, Sauvignon, or Pinot Noir are all good options for beef burgundy. Be sure to use a good wine that you enjoy drinking. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive bottle out there but a good wine is key to great flavor in this dish.
How to Make Beef Bourguignon
Who knew making beef burgundy at home was so easy? This is not a difficult dish to prepare at all – you’ll just need a bit of time!
- Season the beef. Preheat the oven to 350F. Pat dry the chuck roast then season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the bacon. Cook the bacon in a large dutch oven until browned and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
- Brown the chuck roast. Brown the chuck roast pieces in the bacon fat, about 2-3 minutes per side. You’ll need to do this in 2-3 batches.
- Cook the onion and carrot. Reduce the heat then sauté the onion and carrot. Stir constantly, scraping the bottom of the pan. Once they’ve softened, add the garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then stir in the flour until completely absorbed.
- Bake the dish. Pour in the wine. Cook over medium heat until slightly thickened. Add in the browned chuck roast, half of the bacon, bay leaves, thyme, and bouillon. Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 1 1/2 hours, until the chuck roast is fork tender.
- Cook the mushrooms. About 15 minutes before the beef is down, cook the mushrooms and pearl onions in olive oil with brown sugar, salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then cover and cook until the mushrooms have softened and browned. Stir into the chuck roast.
- Enjoy. Serve with mashed potatoes and garnish with parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making the best beef bourguignon.
- Brown the chuck roast in batches. To ensure that each side of the chuck roast pieces sear completely, you’ll need to leave space between each piece. It’s best to brown the chuck roast in 2-3 batches for this reason.
- Don’t drain the bacon fat. One of the reasons the bacon gets cooked first is that the bacon fat left in the pan can be used for searing the chuck roast and adding flavor to the dish overall.
- Thicken the sauce. The sauce should thicken perfectly while cooking but if needed, you can add a cornstarch slurry at the end to thicken it. Just add a small amount at a time.
Common Questions
Beef bourguignon is essentially beef stew with wine. While some beef stews will include a bit of wine, it’s not the focus of the recipe as it is with bourguignon.
Bourguignon is pronounced “bur-gee-nyon”.
If you didn’t use the right meat, that can lead to tough beef bourguignon. Lean meat tends to become tough when cooked low and slow, like in this recipe.
Serving Suggestions
Beef bourguignon is traditionally served over mashed potatoes. Plain rice or egg noodles are other good options.
I would also recommend adding a vegetable salad, like asparagus or roasted broccoli.
How to Store Leftover Beef Burgundy
- Fridge. Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Reheat. You can reheat larger portions on the stovetop or individual portions in the microwave.
- Freeze. Freeze leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Beef Recipes
- Beef Tips and Gravy
- Guinness Beef Stew
- Easy Beef Stir Fry
- Slow Cooker Beef Drip Sandwiches
- Mississippi Pot Roast
Beef Bourguignon
Ingredients
- 3 Pounds Chuck Roast or Stewing Beef Patted Dry and Cut into 2” Cubes
- 2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 6 Slices Thick Cut Bacon Diced
- 1 Onion Thinly Sliced
- 2 Carrots Sliced
- 3 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 2 Tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
- 750 Milliliter Bottle Red Wine
- 3 Beef Bouillon Cube
- 2-3 Bay Leaves
- 2-3 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
- 8 Ounces Pearl Onions Peeled
- 8 Ounces Mushrooms Halved
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Brown Sugar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Fresh Thyme Chopped
- Fresh Parsley For Garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Pat dry the chuck roast and sprinkle on the salt and pepper, set aside.
- Heat a dutch oven over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook the bacon until browned and crisp and the fat has rendered out. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and set aside. Leaving the fat in the pan.
- Increase the heat to medium high and brown the chuck roast pieces on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. You will have to brown the chuck roast in 2 or 3 batches. Transfer the browned chuck roast to a plate and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the onion and carrot. Stir constantly, scraping the bottom of the pan as they cook.
- When the onion and carrot have softened add the garlic and tomato paste. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the flour until completely absorbed and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in the wine and stir, cook over medium until thickened slightly. Add in the browned chuck roast, half of the cooked bacon, bay leaves, fresh thyme, and the bouillon cubes. Stir, cover and roast in the oven for 1 ½ hours or until the chuck roast is tender.
- 15 Minutes before the chuck roast is done. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, add the olive oil, pearl onions, mushrooms, brown sugar, salt, pepper and thyme. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and cover until the onion and mushrooms have softened and browned.
- Stir the cooked onions and mushrooms into the chuck roast.
- Serve the beef by itself or over mashed potatoes. Garnish with fresh parsley. Enjoy!
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2 comments on “Beef Bourguignon”
bourguignon it was delicious instead i put in gnocchi and i made iy on top of the stove where i live right now it is very hot
I love Beef Bourguignon. I always think of Julia Child when I hear it’s name. Your recipe looks really good. I can’t wait to make it. Thanks for all the recipes you share. Granny T