Beef bourguignon is a classic French recipe made by slowly braising beef chuck, bacon, onions, mushrooms, carrots, and leeks in a red wine sauce.
I love almost any kitchen task, but there are a few things for which I believe life is too short: peeling tomatoes, chopping parsley for a garnish, and peeling small white onions with their flinty, infuriating skins. This beef bourguignon recipe called for peeling thirty-six of the evil little orbs. Since you can’t really get away with unpeeled onions, I used frozen ones.–Amanda Hesser
LC Flamer Note
If you can’t get your Cognac to ignite, don’t fret. Just simmer the alcohol for a minute, sans flame, and continue with the next step.
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Beef Bourguignon FAQs
What is the proper pronunciation of this recipe title?
The American pronunciation is ‘beef bor·guh·nyaan‘, but the French sounds a bit more romantic: ‘Bøhf boor·ghee ·nyo“. Beef Bourguignon is a meat stew that is slowly simmered in a hearty red wine (Bourguignon = Burgundy) with onions, mushrooms, cubed bacon. It’s delicious, in any language.
Which mushrooms are best for soups and stews?
Baby Bella (also known as crimini), portobello, and button mushrooms work really well in stews and soups. They add plenty of earthy flavors, retain their shape, and are fairly easily found in your local market or stores.
In This Recipe
Beef Bourguignon
Ingredients
- 5 pounds beef chuck cut into 2-inch (5-cm) cubes
- Flour
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup Cognac warmed
- 1/2 pound bacon diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 carrots peeled and coarsely chopped
- 2 leeks white and pale green parts only, coarsely chopped and washed well
- 3 cups coarsely chopped onions
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus additional for garnish
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- One (26-oz) bottle Burgundy or pinot noir
- 36 small onions (you can use frozen small white onions)
- Sugar
- 36 mushroom caps (you can use the whole mushroom, if you wish)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
Directions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Roll the beef cubes in flour. Heat 4 tablespoons each butter and olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and brown the beef, in batches, on all sides.
- Return all the meat to the skillet. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper, pour the Cognac over it, and carefully ignite. When the flame dies, put the meat in a casserole.
- Add the bacon, garlic, carrots, leeks, onions, and parsley to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until the bacon is crisp and the vegetables are lightly browned.
- Transfer the bacon and vegetables to the casserole with the meat and add the bay leaf, thyme, Burgundy, and enough water barely to cover the meat. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
- Prepare a beurre manié by blending 1 tablespoon each butter and flour. Stir into the casserole bit by bit. Return the casserole to the oven and continue cooking until the meat is very tender, 30 to 60 minutes longer.
- Meanwhile, brown the small onions in 2 tablespoons butter with a dash of sugar in a large skillet. Add a little water, cover, and cook until the onions are almost tender. (If using frozen onions, follow the cooking directions on the package, then brown them in butter with a little sugar.) Set aside.
- Sauté the mushrooms in the remaining 2 tablespoons each butter and oil in a large skillet until lightly browned on one side. Sprinkle them with lemon juice and turn to brown the other side.
- To serve, add the onions to the casserole and garnish with the mushrooms and parsley.
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Originally published October 24, 2010
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If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Here’s a funny one. As I was making this today, with my tween daughter helping me with cleaning the mushrooms, I added the cognac and “forgot” to tell her I was about to flame the meat. I have never seen her jump and scream: “Mother, be careful everything is in flames!” I could not stop laughing! End result, though: Spectacular! What’s even better is it reminded me so very much of how my grandmother used to make it. Amazing tasty memories.
And she will be reminding you of this for years to come.
Love Boeuf Bourguignon. So glad my mom taught me to make it a day ahead and let it rest for the flavors could merge together. I love the movie Julie & Julia, I’ve watched it at least 12 times.
As usual, mom is right!
How many servings? 4?
Hello Jan. I made it last night. The four of us ate it. (Well, my toddler counts for half!) My husband and tween daughter took some for lunch today, and I believe there is still enough for at least 2 more. So that would make 8 servings. We ate it with noodles.
Hello, Jan. The recipe states it serves 12. (See above.)
I LOVE boeuf Bourguignon and make it at least once a season; last year I made both the beef and a vegetarian mushroom version for Christmas dinner. Then we watch Julie & Julia—one of the most memorable Christmas’ we’ve had!
I make it at least once a year, too. Funny that you made it and watched Julie & Julia. Amanda had a small cameo playing herself.