Beef Bourguignon: step-by-step recipe with photos

Beef Bourguignon (fr. bœuf bourguignon, “beef Burgundy”) is one of the most famous dishes of French cuisine, originating from the Burgundy region. Here, excellent wines have long been produced, and cattle have been raised, so it’s no surprise that local chefs devised a way to combine these two ingredients in one unparalleled recipe. Once, beef bourguignon was considered peasant food, as long simmering allowed even the toughest cuts of meat to become tender. However, over time, the dish won the hearts of gourmets around the world and became a true classic of French gastronomy.

We decided to prepare beef bourguignon, slightly adapting the classic recipe. We omitted shallots, which are traditionally used (we simply couldn’t find them and therefore didn’t buy them), and we braised the dish not in the oven but in a pot on the stove.

An important stage is preparing a rich beef broth. We made it the day before from beef bones to achieve a deep flavor and rich aroma.We start cooking the beef with the bacon. We fry it in a pan to render the fat, then set it aside.

In the same fat, we sauté pieces of beef about 5 by 5 cm, which we have thoroughly dried with paper towels beforehand. It is important that the meat does not stew in its own juice but is actually seared, so we do this in batches over medium heat. The browned pieces are immediately sent to the pot where they will be braised.

In the same pan, we brown the carrot cut into large quarters, the chopped onion, and grated garlic.

As soon as the vegetables start to caramelize, we transfer them to the meat. At this stage, we add salt and pepper, and sprinkle everything with flour, shaking the pot to distribute it evenly.

Next, we pour in the broth and dry red wine – these liquids should completely cover the meat. We add tomato paste, thyme, and finely chopped parsley. 

Now we just have to wait – we braise the meat over low heat for 2-3 hours until it becomes tender and soft.

Separately, we prepare the mushrooms. In butter, we first sauté the grated garlic for literally 30 seconds – this will add a special aroma to the dish. Then we add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook until all the moisture evaporates. We set them aside for the final stage.

When the meat is tender, we strain it along with the vegetables into a separate pot, and pour the sauce into another.

We return the pot with the sauce to the heat. It needs to be reduced a bit to thicken. During this process, we skim off the excess fat – this takes about 10 minutes. When the sauce reaches the desired consistency, we return the meat, vegetables, and mushrooms to it, mix thoroughly, and braise for another 5-7 minutes over low heat.

The finished beef bourguignon has a rich, deep flavor that combines the tenderness of the beef, the sweet notes of the carrot, the aroma of the mushrooms, and the subtle acidity of the red wine.

Traditionally, beef bourguignon is served with boiled potatoes, as well as pasta with butter or rice. As a garnish, buttered beans are also possible. All these products and dishes will help fully reveal all the flavor nuances of braised beef. This is a classic of French cuisine that never gets old. Bon appétit!