Bœuf Bourguignon Recipe

Marinate Beef (optional but recommended)

Place the cubed chuck roast in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Add the red wine, smashed garlic cloves, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, peppercorns and 1.5 tsp kosher salt. Press out excess air and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight to tenderize and build flavor.

Before cooking, remove beef from refrigerator 30 minutes prior and strain the marinade, reserving the wine and aromatics. Pat beef dry with paper towels (important for good browning). Reserve marinade liquid and discard solids (or add solids later when simmering if desired).

Roast Potatoes

Preheat oven to 220°C (430°F). Toss halved potatoes with olive oil, rosemary, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 25–35 minutes, turning once, until golden and crispy at edges and tender inside. Keep warm; potatoes can roast while stew simmers (start them when stew goes into oven).

Cook Bacon

In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat, add diced bacon and cook until browned and crisp, about 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a plate, leaving rendered fat in the pot. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat, reserving remaining for richness.

Brown Beef

Increase heat to medium-high and add 2 tbs neutral oil to the pot. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add dried beef cubes and brown deeply on all sides, 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer browned beef to a bowl and continue until all beef is browned. Browning creates fond for flavor.

Sauté Mirepoix

Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion, carrots and celery to the pot with a pinch of salt. Sauté until softened and beginning to color, about 6–8 minutes, scraping up browned bits. Stir in 2 tbs tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes more to remove raw flavor.

Sprinkle the 2 tbs flour over the vegetables and stir to coat; cook 1 minute. This will help thicken the sauce.

Deglaze and Combine

Slowly pour in about 200 ml of the reserved red wine, scraping the bottom to loosen browned bits. Add the remaining reserved wine and the 500 ml beef stock. Return the browned beef and any accumulated juices to the pot along with the cooked bacon, the bay leaves and thyme (or tie herbs in a bundle). Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and either simmer on low over the stove for 2–2.5 hours or transfer to a preheated oven at 160°C (325°F) for 2–2.5 hours, until beef is fork-tender. Check once halfway and skim excess fat if necessary.

Glaze Pearl Onions

While the beef simmers, blanch pearl onions in boiling water 1–2 minutes to loosen skins. Drain, peel, and set aside. In a sauté pan, melt 1 tbs butter over medium heat, add pearl onions, 1 tsp sugar and 60 ml white wine or water, cover and cook until glazed and tender, about 8–10 minutes. Remove and keep warm.

Sauté Mushrooms

In the same pan, add remaining 2 tbs butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and cook without stirring for 3–4 minutes to get good color, then stir and cook another 2–3 minutes until browned and any liquid evaporates. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Set mushrooms aside.

When the beef is tender (after 2–2.5 hours), remove the pot from heat and skim and discard any excess surface fat. Add the glazed pearl onions and sautéed mushrooms to the stew for the final 10–15 minutes of cooking to meld flavors. If the sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered 10–15 minutes to reduce; if too sharp, stir in 1 tsp brown sugar or maple syrup to balance acidity.

Finish Sauce

Strain or spoon out and discard bay leaves and herb stems. Remove a cup of hot braising liquid into a bowl and whisk in the cold cubed butter to create a glossy liaison, then stir back into the pot to enrich the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Serve

Stir in chopped parsley. Serve the Bœuf Bourguignon hot over or alongside the roasted potatoes. Spoon plenty of sauce and mushrooms over the beef. Garnish with additional parsley if desired.