Beef bourguignon is a saucy, beef dish that is slow-cooked for extra tenderness and flavor. This the kind of dish that has an aroma that will permeate throughout your home. That scent is instant comfort.
This dish begs for a special occasion, where everyone is seated around the table. This dish should be savored with good wine and good company!
Beef bourguignon is one of those dishes, where, at first glance, you think it’s just another beef stew recipe. And I suppose it is a stew, but this is one special dish that has layers and layer of flavors,
Where Does Beef Bourguignon Come From
Beef Bourguignon gets its name from the Burgundy region of France where the dish was made with the meat of the local cattle which was said to be fed only certain hay, fodder and cereal that produced healthy cows and tender meat.
The meat itself is braised and slow-cooked with a good Burgundy red wine,
What Do You Need To Make Beef Bourguignon
Bacon – The bacon obviously gives this dish flavor. You do want a meaty cut of bacon and you want some bacon fat, nothing like turkey bacon, This is going to be the first layer of this dish,
Beef – I used a beef chuck for this recipe. This can sometimes be a chewy cut of beef, HOWEVER, this cut is so perfect for braising and slow cooking. It will end up being so tender without falling apart.
Vegetables – Carrots, onions, pearl onions, and mushrooms are cooked with the beef. I prefer to use hearty mushrooms-like portobello mushrooms.
Fig Jam – This is optional, but it does add a nice hint of sweetness.
Tomato Paste
Burgundy Wine – You really want a deep, rich-tasting wine for this recipe as it provides most of the flavor for this dish. A good cabernet or pinot noir will work.
Beef Broth – I prefer to use a low sodium beef broth for this recipe.
Herbs – Go for fresh here, you really want the bright, woodsy flavor of fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme.
How To Make Beef Bourguinon
To begin with, brown bacon slices in a large Dutch oven or another oven-safe dish. Once the bacon is crisp, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon leaving the grease in the pan.
Cube your beef into bite-size pieces and add them to the bacon grease. You will probably have too much beef to add all at once, so work in batches, seasoning each batch with salt and pepper. Remove all the beef and set aside.
Add olive oil to the same pan, add chopped onions and carrots and cook until they just begin to soften.
Stir in fig jam and tomato paste. Sprinkle the mixture with flour; this will help thicken the broth as it cooks.
Return the beef to the pan and stir in the red wine and the broth. Add the herbs.
Cover and allow the mixture to come to a boil. When it comes to a boil, place the beef in a 250-degree oven for 1 ½ hours.
A few minutes before the beef is ready, melt butter in a small skillet. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook until soft.
When the beef is ready, add the mushroom mixture to the beef and simmer on low for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
What Is The Best Meat To Use For Beef Bourguignon?
The best kind of meat for beef Bourguignon is a beef chuck or another boneless stew meat. This type of beef can be on the chewier side if you were going to pan sere it or grill it, but it is perfect for braising and slow cooking. It will become so fork-tender, it will melt in your mouth.
How Thick Should Beef Bourguignon Be?
This recipe is definitely more on the brothy side. In general, it isn’t a very thick dish. It is meant to be served with good crusty bread to sop up the beautifully flavored liquid,
That being said, there is no rule that says you cannot change things up, If you prefer to have less liquid, then, by all means, add less broth or less wine.
What To Serve With Beef Bourguignon
As mentioned above, good crusty bread is a must! Bread is the perfect vehicle to eat up all that tasty broth!
I like to serve this dish with mashed potatoes, but you could also serve this dish with polenta, risotto, or even wide egg noodles. Again, anything that can absorb that flavorful liquid!
Serve a lemony kale salad or an easy spinach salad on the side to add some fresh crispness to your meal.
Of course, make sure to serve a good red wine alongside!
Can You Make Beef Bourguignon In The Slow Cooker?
Yes, you can. Brown the bacon and the beef as directed and then place them in the slow cooker.
Saute the vegetables in the olive oil as directed above and coat with flour. Add the vegetables to the slow cooker.
Cover the beef with the wine and the broth, stir in the jam and the tomato paste. Add the herbs, cover and cook the stew on low for 8-10 hours.
Thirty minutes prior to being done, saute the mushrooms and the onions and stir them into the beef stew.
Can You Freeze Beef Bourguignon?
Yes! Cool the beef stew completely then place in an airtight container. Freeze the beef stew for up to 3 months. When needed, allow the dish to thaw in the fridge.
To reheat beef bourguignon, place the beef stew on a low setting on the stovetop, cover and reheat for up to an hour. Watch the stew closely as you do not want to overcook the beef or reduce the liquid by too much.
Beef dishes lend themselves so nicely to holiday meals. This holiday season, thousands of families across Ohio will buy beef. Ohioans spend about $4 billion each year on beef, which is a healthy, high-quality protein choice.
If you plan on roasting beef this holiday season, some of the best cuts for oven roasting include beef round, rib roast and tenderloin roast.
Before cooking, put the roast fat side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. The only exception to this rule is the rib roast because the ribs form a natural rack
Oven roasting is a go-to cooking method during the holidays because it generally uses a lower temperature over a longer period, allowing you to “set it and forget it”. Refer to this oven roasting cooking chart for timing guidelines and other helpful tips.
When roasting larger cuts, an ovenproof meat thermometer that stays in the roast while cooking is preferable to an instant-read thermometer. This helps you avoid opening the oven unnecessarily and poking multiple holes in the roast and losing those delicious juices.
Once the roast is removed from the oven, transfer it to a carving tray or cutting board, then cover it loosely with aluminum foil (this is called tenting) and let it rest. Larger roasts need more time to rest, often up to 15–20 minutes. Use that resting time to make an au jus from the beef drippings!
More Beef Recipes Worthy Of A Special Occasion
Beef Tenderloin With Mushrooms and Herbs
Steak and Shrimp With Champagne Cream Sauce
Although many believe that industrial farming has taken the place of family farms and ranches, 98 percent of beef farms are family-owned and operated.
Beef Bourguignon
Beef is braised and slow-cooked with vegetables, herbs and red wine in this classic Beef Bourguignon! This dish was meant to be shared with friends! #beefbourguignonrecipe
Ingredients
- 4 slices of bacon, chopped
- 2 ½ lbs beef chuck, cubed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 large carrots
- 1 large onion
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup fig jam
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 3 ½ cups burgundy wine
- 3 cups beef broth
- Sprigs of thyme and rosemary
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 lb portobello mushrooms slices
- 1 12 oz package pearl onions
Instructions
- To begin with, brown bacon slices in a large Dutch oven or another oven-safe dish. Once the bacon is crisp, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon leaving the grease in the pan.
- Add the cubed beef to the bacon grease. Work in batches and season beef with salt and pepper as you go. Remove the beef to a bowl once it has browned.
- Add olive oil to the same pan, add chopped onions and carrots and cook until they just begin to soften.
- Stir in fig jam and tomato paste. Sprinkle the mixture with flour.
- Return the beef to the pan and stir in the red wine and the broth. Add the herbs.
- Cover and allow the mixture to come to a boil. When it comes to a boil, place the beef in a 250-degree oven for 1 ½ hours.
- A few minutes before the beef is ready, melt butter in a small skillet. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook until soft.
- When the beef is ready, add the mushroom mixture to the beef and simmer on low for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
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