Beef Bourguignon Recipe | Sur La Table (2024)

By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen

Images

Serves

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed
  • 4 ounces bacon, sliced crosswise into thin strips (1/4-inch x 1-inch pieces)
  • 2 pounds boneless beef chuck, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 carrot, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
  • 1 large yellow onion, medium diced
  • 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups full-bodied red wine, such as Chianti or Merlot
  • 2 to 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with butcher’s twine
  • 2 bay leaves
  • About 15 pearl onions
  • 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
  • 8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
  • 1/3 cup sherry vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley

Procedure

One of the best known French dishes, and like most stews, it is best made a day or two in advance so the flavors can mingle and develop. Frozen pearl onions will work in this recipe; however, fresh will have better texture and flavor. Peeling pearl onions is easier after a short blanch.

Instant Pot Directions

Set Instant Pot to Sauté, and add oil. When oil is shimmering, add bacon and sauté bacon pieces until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a medium bowl and reserve bacon fat in the pan.

Dry the beef thoroughly with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, add the beef to the Instant Pot and sear, turning as needed, until browned on all sides. Transfer seared beef to bowl with bacon. Reduce heat setting to low and add the carrot and onion to the pan; sauté until lightly browned, about 8 minutes.

Return the beef and vegetables; season lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over and toss to lightly coat. Slowly stir in wine and add enough broth to just cover the meat. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Lock the lid and select High Pressure, setting the timer for 40 minutes.

While the beef is cooking, blanch the pearl onions in rapidly boiling salted water until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and let cool. Trim ends and peel; set aside.

To a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, add butter. When butter is melted and foaming subsides, add pearl onions and mushrooms, and stir to coat vegetables with the melted butter. Drizzle with sherry vinegar and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables are tender and have developed caramelization, about 8 minutes.

When the timer on Instant Pot goes off, release the pressure and check the meat. If meat is not tender, cook for additional 5 minutes or so. Remove the meat and vegetables to a bowl, discard thyme and bay leaves. Select Sauté setting on Instant Pot and reduce the braising liquid, skimming off the fat. Add the sautéed onions and mushrooms. Continue simmering until the liquid reduces into a sauce and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Return beef and vegetables and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

To serve: Just before serving, stir in parsley, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and ladle into shallow soup bowls.

By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen

Serves

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed
  • 4 ounces bacon, sliced crosswise into thin strips (1/4-inch x 1-inch pieces)
  • 2 pounds boneless beef chuck, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 carrot, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
  • 1 large yellow onion, medium diced
  • 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups full-bodied red wine, such as Chianti or Merlot
  • 2 to 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with butcher’s twine
  • 2 bay leaves
  • About 15 pearl onions
  • 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
  • 8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
  • 1/3 cup sherry vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley

Procedure

One of the best known French dishes, and like most stews, it is best made a day or two in advance so the flavors can mingle and develop. Frozen pearl onions will work in this recipe; however, fresh will have better texture and flavor. Peeling pearl onions is easier after a short blanch.

Instant Pot Directions

Set Instant Pot to Sauté, and add oil. When oil is shimmering, add bacon and sauté bacon pieces until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a medium bowl and reserve bacon fat in the pan.

Dry the beef thoroughly with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, add the beef to the Instant Pot and sear, turning as needed, until browned on all sides. Transfer seared beef to bowl with bacon. Reduce heat setting to low and add the carrot and onion to the pan; sauté until lightly browned, about 8 minutes.

Return the beef and vegetables; season lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over and toss to lightly coat. Slowly stir in wine and add enough broth to just cover the meat. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Lock the lid and select High Pressure, setting the timer for 40 minutes.

While the beef is cooking, blanch the pearl onions in rapidly boiling salted water until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and let cool. Trim ends and peel; set aside.

To a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, add butter. When butter is melted and foaming subsides, add pearl onions and mushrooms, and stir to coat vegetables with the melted butter. Drizzle with sherry vinegar and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables are tender and have developed caramelization, about 8 minutes.

When the timer on Instant Pot goes off, release the pressure and check the meat. If meat is not tender, cook for additional 5 minutes or so. Remove the meat and vegetables to a bowl, discard thyme and bay leaves. Select Sauté setting on Instant Pot and reduce the braising liquid, skimming off the fat. Add the sautéed onions and mushrooms. Continue simmering until the liquid reduces into a sauce and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Return beef and vegetables and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

To serve: Just before serving, stir in parsley, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and ladle into shallow soup bowls.

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Beef Bourguignon Recipe | Sur La Table (2024)

FAQs

Should Beef Bourguignon be thick or thin? ›

It's traditionally named from the Burgundy region in France, where it originated. It's cooked until the meat is falling apart, and the wine-rich gravy thickens slightly to coat the meat.

How thick should the sauce be in Beef Bourguignon? ›

To Finish the Stew:

Distribute the mushrooms and onions over the meat. Skim the fat off the sauce and simmer it for a minute or two, skimming off any additional fat which rises to the surface. You should be left with about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.

What cuts of beef are best for bourguignon? ›

Probably the most important thing is to start with the right cut of beef. For a Classic French Beef Bourguignon, you want to choose a cut that is collagen-rich so it will stay juicy and tender after hours of cooking. My recommendations are: Beef chuck (readily available, affordable)

Can you taste the red wine in Beef Bourguignon? ›

The finished stew is filled with tender chunks of meat and mushroom, along with plump onions and carrots and a deeply rich red-wine base. It's what Burgundy might taste like...if Burgundy had a land made of mushroom, pork, and onion, and rivers flowing with vin rouge.

Can you overcook beef bourguignon? ›

Braising is large joints cooked in moisture) cuts are fattier, have more connective tissue. High and fast isn't going to break those down into chewable bits. I would say that it is possible to overcook beef bourguignon, but it really depends on your personal preferences.

How do I thicken up my beef bourguignon? ›

If sauce is too thin after cooking, simmer uncovered in the slow cooker until reduced. You can also thicken sauce using 1 to 2 tablespoons flour; mix 1/4 cup sauce with flour in a small bowl until no lumps remain, then whisk into the slow cooker and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.

Does tomato paste make stew thicker? ›

What does tomato paste do for beef stew? It definitely gives another layer of flavor and can thicken up your gravy. But it can also be very acidic so you might want to simmer finally chopped carrots in your sauce to give it some sweetness.

What's the difference between beef stew and beef bourguignon? ›

Both beef bourguignon and beef stew are delicious! It's all in preparation. Stew is a cooking method, and beef bourguignon is a classic French dish that uses beef stewed in wine to create its characteristic flavor. The difference between stew and beef bourguignon is not just one of taste but also one of the methods.

How do I thicken beef bourguignon without flour? ›

Using cornflour as a thickener

Cornflour is an ideal thickener if you're a coeliac or simply intolerant to gluten, because as the name suggests, it is made from corn. Be aware, though, that it produces a slightly more gelatinous texture than flour, so don't overdo it or you'll end up with a slightly gloopy sauce.

What is the best wine to use for beef bourguignon? ›

Pinot Noir is the traditional wine used in Beef Bourguignon. It's the red wine that the Burgundy region of France is most famous for, reflecting the origins of this dish which is also known as “Beef Burgundy”. There's no need to splurge on expensive wine here.

Is beef bourguignon better the next day? ›

As with all beef stews, this one is best made a day or two ahead; don't sauté the mushrooms and onions until just before serving. This recipe is part of The New Essentials of French Cooking, a guide to definitive dishes every modern cook should master.

Why is my beef bourguignon so bitter? ›

My beef Bourguignon tastes bitter

If your beef Bourguignon tastes disappointingly butter, it could be overcooked. A good tip to try is adding a spoonful of redcurrant jelly or a little sugar to add a little sweetness. Deglazing the pot with ¼ cup (60ml) brandy to the dish will add an extra layer of flavour.

Can I drive after eating beef bourguignon? ›

The answer is probably not, unless you're trying really, really hard! All the experts we consulted on this subject agreed that it would be very difficult to eat enough boozy food to push your blood alcohol content (BAC) over the drink-drive limit.

Does all the alcohol cook out of beef bourguignon? ›

So go ahead and make Slow-Simmering Beef Bourguignon without fear that the wine will cause trouble. After 2½ hours, only 5% of the alcohol stays behind. So after cooking low and slow all day, it's safe to say most, if not all, of the wine has lost its alcoholic punch.

Does the alcohol cook out of beef bourguignon? ›

It is true that some of the alcohol evaporates, or burns off, during the cooking process.

Is beef stew supposed to be watery or thick? ›

Part of what makes a stew a stew and not a soup is the mixture's thickness and the chunks of ingredients. The liquid suspending the chunky ingredients in a stew should be more of a gravy than a watery dish.

Does stew get thicker as it cooks? ›

Yes, beef stew will thicken as it cooks. The thickening is a result of reduction. As the stew cooks, water is evaporated. The starches from the veggies and gelatin in the stock work together to increase the viscosity of the broth.

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