Beef Bourguignon Recipe

Beef Bourguignon is slow-simmer comfort in one pot, with a rich red wine gravy. A classic French beef stew where chunks of beef are braised low and slow in gravy with mushrooms, carrots, herbs, and bacon until melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Flavor: Rich and cozy with tender beef, savory mushrooms, and a deep, slow-simmered sauce that is warm and comforting.
Technique: Searing the beef is an important step since it builds deep flavor, and cooking the flour briefly helps create a rich, velvety gravy without extra thickeners.
Recommended Tools: A Dutch oven helps distribute heat evenly and gives you nice, reliable browning.
Serving Suggestions: Serve with crusty homemade bread & butter for soaking up all that savory sauce.
Freezing: Beef bourguignon is freezer-friendly and perfect for make-ahead lunches or batch cooking.

Ingredient Notes

Beef Chuck Roast: My first choice is always beef chuck since it comes out so incredibly tender. And it’s budget-friendly, so it’s the best of both worlds. Trim and cut it into 1-inch cubes.
Bacon: Thick-cut pieces of chopped bacon are best for this dish. The bacon fat adds flavor when browning the beef.
Vegetables: Use red or gold baby potatoes, or potato chunks. Mushrooms, carrots, and onions provide the base for an excellent stew.
Gravy: Red wine is the key ingredient. Choose a dry wine like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Burgundy. Beef broth (or stock if you have it), tomato paste, garlic, and herbs finish the job to perfection.

Variations

For a more traditional French version (à la Julia Child), saute or braise mushrooms and pearl onions and add them at the end, so they don’t break down in the stew.
You can also use stewing beef, round steak, or brisket. These cuts of beef will likely need more time in the oven than chuck, so make sure the beef is fork-tender before removing the beef bourguignon from the oven.
Use pancetta in place of bacon for a milder, less smoky flavor. Taste and adjust the salt as you go, because pancetta is often a bit saltier than bacon.
Try skipping the potatoes and serve red wine beef stew over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or buttered noodles.

chuck cubes for Beef Bourguignon being browned in a pan

How to Make Beef Bourguignon

Crisp the bacon, then sear the beef in batches.
Soften onions and carrots, stir in flour. Add warm broth and deglaze the pan.
Add remaining ingredients, cover, and bake (full recipe below).
Adjust seasoning and garnish with bacon.

Tips for the Best Results

Wine is an essential ingredient in this beef bourguignon recipe. If you don’t have wine, I would recommend making either beef stew or a goulash for a similar dish.
Pat the beef dry and sear in batches without crowding the pan.
Room temperature wine and broth will keep the stew cooking at the same temperature when added.
Cooking low and slow ensures the most tender meat. If the meat is not tender, it needs more time.
Thicken beef bourguignon further with cornstarch slurry. Combine 2 tablespoons each of cornstarch and cold water. Drizzle into the simmering stew while whisking to thicken—you may not need all the mixture.

Storing and Reheating

This dish is perfect for making ahead since flavors marry and it tastes even better the next day!

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat gently either on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of broth or red wine to loosen the sauce.

Cozy Cold Weather Favorites

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image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes

Preheat the oven to 325°F.
In a Dutch oven or a large oven-safe pot, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it’s crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pot.
Gently dab the beef dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and sear the beef in small batches until browned. Transfer to a plate.
In the same pot, add the onions and carrots. You can add a bit of oil if needed. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions soften slightly.
Add the browned beef back to the pot and sprinkle with flour, stirring to coat. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the broth all at once and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot.
Add wine, mushrooms, potatoes (if using), tomato paste, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Cover the pot with a lid and transfer it to the oven. Bake the stew for 2½ to 3 hours or until the beef is fork-tender.
Remove the bay leaf and stir in ¾ of the bacon. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Garnish with remaining bacon and chopped fresh parsley.

*If using stewing beef, you may need a little bit of extra time for it to become tender.

Potatoes can be added to this stew or leave them out and serve the stew over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Use baby potatoes, red potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes.
Choose a dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir, Cabernet, or Merlot. Wine is needed to flavor this recipe.
To Thicken stew further after baking, combine equal parts cornstarch and water. Add to simmering stew a little bit at a time while whisking to reach desired consistency.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Beef, Dinner, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine American, French

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