Quick Beef Bourguignon
French beef stew with Mushrooms, Bacon and red wine
Like every classic dish, Beef Bourguignon used to be peasant food — it reflects the need to create a full meal from anything you can find in your pantry. A similar idea shows up in another great "all in one" French stew called pot au feu.
The long cooking was meant to soften tough meat and make it edible. The dish originates from the Burgundy region, and as the name suggests, the original recipe used red Burgundy wine.
Beef Bourguignon was introduced to a wider audience and took its central place in French cuisine thanks to Julia Child, who made a few changes to the original dish and refined it into "haute cuisine".
What is so special about Beef Bourguignon?
I believe the magic of Beef Bourguignon is in the process. We start by sautéing the onions, carrots, and celery, add the bacon or duck breast, then pour wine over the mix — a huge flavor enhancer. That's the base of our beef stew. The beef stock and mushrooms give the dish a great body. Usually when you make a beef stew, the stock needs a few hours to develop its flavors. Here, adding beef stock makes everything hold stronger — it's genius, adding beef stock to a beef stew! The texture of the stock comes from the bones, which add gelatin to the liquid, and from a bit of flour that thickens the sauce and creates a denser, richer, silkier body. Julia Child actually used a roux — equal parts butter and flour — which gave the sauce an even thicker texture. The cuts I used here are chuck and osso buco. They're great in a long stew and come out tender and juicy after a few hours. I didn't bother searing the meat — it's a misconception that skipping the sear leaves you with hard, chewy meat. Just throw it in. Don't worry, it'll be soft and tender. One of the best things about this stew, aside from how delicious it is, is that it makes a great leftover dish. I often give this beef sauce new life — check out the fresh pasta Bourguignon dish, which is one of my favorites.Method
- 1
Starting the dish· 30 minutes
Preheat oven to 150°c/300°F. In a large Dutch oven heat oil, add the onions, celery, carrots and saute for 5 minutes. add the bacon and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. pour in the wine and scrape off the residue, it will add flavor. Cook the wine for 10 more minutes and season with salt and pepper
- 2
Bake the stew· 3-4 hrs
Add the beef chunks, marrow bones, thyme, bay leaves and beef stock, bring to a gentle simmer. Add flour and mix until dissolved completely and throw in the mushrooms. Place the pot in the oven and bake for at least 3 hours.
- 3
finishing and serving· 5 minutes
Remove stew from the oven, skim fat from the top and let cool a bit for 15 minutes. Serve hot and sprinkle with salt and pepper on top
Jaron Kimhi
Jaron Kimhi — self-taught home cook from Tel Aviv, writing and cooking every recipe on this site himself. 20+ years of tinkering in the kitchen, leaning toward slow cooking, classic technique, and honest ingredients.
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