Boeuf Bourguignon Recipe: Burgundy’s Soul-Warming Classic

Want to know why Boeuf Bourguignon intimidates so many home cooks? It shouldn’t. This French classic looks fancy but it’s honestly just beef, wine, and time doing the heavy lifting. You’ll brown some meat, add bacon and mushrooms, then let your oven handle the real work while you go about your day. The result? Tender, fall-apart beef in a sauce that’ll make you wonder why you don’t make this more often.

Why You’ll Love this Boeuf Bourguignon Recipe

I’m going to level with you: boeuf bourguignon might seem like the kind of fancy French dish that only happens in restaurants with white tablecloths and judgmental waiters, but here’s the thing—it’s actually way more forgiving than you’d think.

You’re basically making a dressed-up beef stew that doesn’t require fancy techniques or obscure ingredients. The beauty lies in how the red wine and beef stock meld with bacon and mushrooms, creating this rich, deeply satisfying sauce that transforms simple meat into something genuinely impressive.

Plus, it’s a one-pot situation, meaning less cleanup. Best part? It tastes even better the next day. You’ll impress yourself, and honestly, that’s what really matters here.

Love slow-cooked, flavor-packed meat dishes? Our jerk chicken recipe offers a Caribbean twist with its aromatic spice marinade and tender results.

What Ingredients are in Boeuf Bourguignon Recipe?

Boeuf Bourguignon is a classic French braise that relies on a carefully balanced combination of quality ingredients to develop its signature deep, complex flavors. The recipe centers around tender beef stew meat that’s browned and braised low and slow, while bacon adds smokiness and salt to the base. The aromatics—shallots and garlic—build the foundational flavor profile, while red Burgundy wine and beef stock create the braising liquid that becomes an extraordinarily rich sauce as it reduces and concentrates over time.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 lb (1 kg) beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 2-inch (5 cm) cubes
• 8 oz (250 g) thick-cut smoked bacon, cut into strips
• 12 shallots
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1¼ cups red Burgundy wine (or any good red wine)
• ⅔ cup beef stock
• 1 bouquet garni
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• Salt and black pepper
• 8 oz (250 g) button mushrooms

How to Make this Boeuf Bourguignon Recipe

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (170°C). Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, add the beef pieces and cook, turning occasionally, until they’re well browned on all sides. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to paper towels to drain, then set aside.
2. Add the bacon and shallots to the same pot and cook gently over medium heat, stirring from time to time, for about 3 minutes until the bacon turns crisp and the shallots become tender and translucent. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels alongside the beef.
3. Sprinkle the flour into the pot and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to create a roux. Slowly pour in the wine and stock, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth.
4. Return the browned beef and crispy bacon to the Dutch oven. Add the bouquet garni and garlic, then season generously with salt and pepper. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 1½ hours until the beef begins to become tender.
5. Add the reserved shallots back into the pot along with the whole button mushrooms. Return the covered pot to the oven and continue cooking for another hour, or until the beef is melt-in-your-mouth tender and the flavors have melded beautifully.
6. Remove and discard the bouquet garni from the pot. Taste the rich sauce and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot with warm, crusty bread for soaking up all the delicious sauce.

Boeuf Bourguignon Recipe

This classic boeuf bourguignon recipe layers rich flavors through careful browning of beef, crispy bacon, and shallots before braising in red Burgundy wine until luxuriously tender. The addition of button mushrooms in the final half-hour and a flour-thickened wine reduction creates a velvety sauce that exemplifies rustic French comfort cooking at its finest.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Servings: 3

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: French

Calories: 490

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 lb 1 kg beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 2-inch (5 cm) cubes
• 8 oz 250 g thick-cut smoked bacon, cut into strips
• 12 shallots
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1¼ cups red Burgundy wine or any good red wine
• ⅔ cup beef stock
• 1 bouquet garni
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• Salt and black pepper
• 8 oz 250 g button mushrooms

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (170°C). Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, add the beef pieces and cook, turning occasionally, until they’re well browned on all sides. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to paper towels to drain, then set aside.
2. Add the bacon and shallots to the same pot and cook gently over medium heat, stirring from time to time, for about 3 minutes until the bacon turns crisp and the shallots become tender and translucent. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels alongside the beef.
3. Sprinkle the flour into the pot and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to create a roux. Slowly pour in the wine and stock, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth.
4. Return the browned beef and crispy bacon to the Dutch oven. Add the bouquet garni and garlic, then season generously with salt and pepper. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 1½ hours until the beef begins to become tender.
5. Add the reserved shallots back into the pot along with the whole button mushrooms. Return the covered pot to the oven and continue cooking for another hour, or until the beef is melt-in-your-mouth tender and the flavors have melded beautifully.
6. Remove and discard the bouquet garni from the pot. Taste the rich sauce and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot with warm, crusty bread for soaking up all the delicious sauce.

Notes

Storage and Reheating Boeuf Bourguignon

Boeuf bourguignon actually improves with time, making it perfect for meal prep. Store cooled stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. The flavors meld and deepen overnight as the meat continues absorbing the wine sauce. To reheat, warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of beef stock if the sauce has thickened too much. Avoid microwaving if possible, as stovetop reheating preserves the sauce’s silky texture better.

Storage and Reheating Boeuf Bourguignon

Boeuf bourguignon actually improves with time, making it perfect for meal prep. Store cooled stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. The flavors meld and deepen overnight as the meat continues absorbing the wine sauce.

To reheat, warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of beef stock if the sauce has thickened too much. Avoid microwaving if possible, as stovetop reheating preserves the sauce’s silky texture better.

Boeuf Bourguignon Substitutions and Variations

While the traditional recipe I’ve just walked you through is absolutely worth making exactly as written, here’s the thing: you’re not locked into those specific ingredients if your pantry or budget says otherwise.

Don’t have Burgundy wine? A decent Bordeaux or even Pinot Noir works just fine. Swap beef stock for chicken if that’s what you’ve got—the stew won’t judge you. Button mushrooms feeling boring? Pearl onions, cremini, or oyster varieties bring different flavors to the table.

Can’t find shallots? Regular onions substitute beautifully, though you’ll lose some subtle sweetness. Feeling fancy? Replace half the beef with pork shoulder for a lighter variation. The bouquet garni matters less than you’d think; dried herbs bundled in cheesecloth work perfectly well. This dish is genuinely forgiving.

What to Serve with Boeuf Bourguignon

Boeuf bourguignon pairs beautifully with classic French sides that soak up the rich wine sauce. Creamy mashed potatoes or buttery egg noodles are traditional choices, while crusty French bread is essential for mopping up every drop of that velvety sauce. For a lighter option, serve alongside roasted root vegetables or a simple green salad dressed with Dijon vinaigrette. Steamed green beans or glazed carrots add color and freshness to balance the hearty stew perfectly.

Final Thoughts

Look, boeuf bourguignon isn’t some intimidating French restaurant secret that’ll make you sweat in your kitchen—it’s actually just beef, wine, and time doing most of the heavy lifting for you. I’m genuinely convinced this dish proves that fancy cooking doesn’t require fancy skills, just patience and decent ingredients. Sure, you’ll need to brown meat and simmer for hours, but that’s hardly rocket science. The magic happens while you’re literally doing nothing but waiting. You’ll end up with tender beef in a rich, velvety sauce that’ll make your kitchen smell absolutely incredible. Honestly, if you can follow steps without panicking, you can nail this classic. It’s forgiving, adaptable, and absolutely worth every minute you invest in it.