Boeuf Bourguignon Recipe (Beef Burgundy)
Published December 5, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This tasty French boeuf bourguignon is loaded with vegetables and braised chunks of beef in a seasoned red wine beef broth, making it the ultimate gathering meal. I love everything about this hearty classic stew, and I know you will, too.
I don’t eat meat very often, but if I do, I make sure it’s loaded with flavor. If you’re like me, check out my Steak au Poivre or Salisbury Steak.
Boeuf Bourguignon
Boeuf Bourguignon is a French dish of beef braised in red wine and stock and cooked with mushrooms, herbs, and other vegetables. Bourguignon means “prepared in Burgundy,” which is why it is classically named beef burgundy in the United States. It is essentially a very hearty beef stew that is also called beef Bourguignon.
It was created by the father of modern-day cookery, August Escoffier. He created and published the dish in 1903 in his world-famous cookbook, Le Guide Culinaire. It wasn’t until the famous TV celebrity chef Julia Child introduced it in the very first episode of her hit cooking show in 1963 that the dish became world-renowned. From there, it became an instant classic.
It evolved from a simple dish to an elegant recipe served at fine dining restaurants worldwide. There are variations to this dish, including vegetables used and side dishes it can go with. Feel free to get creative in making my recipe, yours.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Beef – You can use beef chuck, round, top Sirloin, bottom round, strip sirloin, brisket, or short ribs.
- Pork — I used pork belly, but pancetta, regular-cut, or thick-cut smoked bacon is also good.
- Flour – All-purpose or bread flour is good for the beurre manie, as it will be the sauce’s thickening agent.
- Butter – This is used as the thickening agent to finish the dish. I always use unsalted butter in my cooking and baking to control the sodium content.
- Wine — This dish will work with any good French red wine from the Burgundy region, such as Bordeaux, Cote de Rhone, Pinot Noir, or Beaujolais.
- Brandy — This is optional, but it was one of the original ingredients in Escoffier’s recipe and is used in the marinade.
- Stock – Beef stock or brodo is good in this recipe.
- Herbs – I used a combination of fresh thyme, parsley, and bay leaves. You can substitute 2 teaspoons of dry thyme and 1 tablespoon of dry parsley.
- Celery – This is used as part of the vegetable marinade for the beef
- Carrots – Large-cut carrots add a lot of flavor to this dish and a vegetable component to make it a more complete meal.
- Tomato Paste — This will add wonderful umami flavors to the braising liquid and provide some body.
- Onion – I used a combination of shallots and leeks for the beef marinade and pearl onions in the actual dish. However, you can substitute the shallot or pearl onions with yellow, red, white, or sweet onions. In addition, some whole garlic cloves will be used.
- Mushrooms — I used cremini and button mushrooms, which suit this boeuf Bourguignon recipe.
- Spices – I used whole black peppercorns and whole cloves in the marinade. The cloves are optional.
- Fat — You can use olive or avocado oil, ghee, lard, beef tallow, or clarified butter.
How to Make Boeuf Bourguignon
Cut the beef into 2” cubes.
Add the beef to a large bowl with the shallots, leeks, garlic cloves, thyme, parsley stems, bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves, wine, and brandy.
Cover and marinate.
When ready to prepare it, remove the beef and pat each piece dry very well with paper towels.
Season the beef on all sides with salt and pepper.
Sear the beef in oil until well browned.
Add the marinade to a medium-sized pot and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
Set the beef aside. Stir the tomato paste into the pot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat until it becomes rust-like in color.
Strain the reduced wine mixture into the pot and stir in the tomato paste.
Pour in the beef stock, parsley stems, thyme, and bay leaf wrapped in a leek leaf, salt, pepper, and seared beef. Cook covered over low to medium heat for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until fork tender.
While the beef is braising, add the pork belly to a skillet over medium heat. Season with salt, and render the fat while crisping the pork.
Beef Bourguignon Accompaniments
Add the pearl onions to the pan, gently season with salt, and sauté over medium heat until browned.
Finally, add butter to the pan and turn the heat to high.
Place the mushrooms in, season with salt, and spread them out over the pan. Let them cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then saute for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
Once the beef is done cooking, remove it along with the bouquet garni. Add the pork, onions, mushrooms, and carrots and cook over medium to medium-high heat until the carrots are tender.
Stir in the beurre manie and bring to a boil. Then, turn the heat to low and cook until thickened.
Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper, and finish with butter and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Place in the beef and fold it to combine all the ingredients.
Serve with an optional garnish of minced fresh parsley with pasta, mashed potatoes, or buttered baby potatoes.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 1 hour ahead of time. Keep it warm, covered over very low heat.
How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Cover and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw for 1 whole day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add your desired portion of the beef burgundy to a small pot and cook over low heat until hot, stirring occasionally.
chef notes + tips
- When cooking the wine marinade, I usually skim off any impurities every 4 to 5 minutes or as I see them. Doing this will result in a cleaner, more delicious wine reduction.
- I cooked the beef in a 2-gallon pot.
- You may have to sear the beef in batches as I did.
- If you notice the fat turning dark as the beef sears, turn the heat down to low-medium and let it cool for a few minutes before turning it to medium-high.
- I don’t add vegetables at the beginning because they tend to turn overly soft and mushy. I like my vegetables a bit firmer than that, so I add them toward the end when reducing the sauce.
- The longer the marinade, the more flavorful the beef will be.
- The beef will be about 205° F internally when it’s done.
- The beef can also be braised in the oven on a middle rack at 350° for 2 hours or until fork tender.
More Beef Recipes
Video
Boeuf Bourguignon Recipe (Beef Burgundy)
Ingredients
For the Marinade:
- 3 pound chuck roast, cut into 2” cubes
- 1 peeled sliced large shallot
- 1 thickly sliced leek
- 2 roughly cut ribs of celery
- 2 roughly cut carrots
- 4 sprigs of fresh parsley
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 10 to 12 peppercorns
- 2 cloves
- 1 bottle of Pinot Noir
- 3 tablespoons Brandy, optional
- coarse salt to taste
For the Stew:
- 4 tablespoons avocado oil
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 8 cups beef stock
- Leaf of 1 leek
- 2-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 6-8 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 ounces pork belly, cut into ½” cubes
- 2 cups peeled pearl onions
- 1 pint button mushrooms, quartered
- 1 pint cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 6 peeled medium-sized carrots, cut into 2” long pieces
- 1/3 cup beurre manie recipe
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the beef into 2” cubes that are roughly 3 to 4 ounces each.
- Next, add the beef to a large bowl or container along with the shallots, leeks, smashed garlic cloves, 4 sprigs of thyme, 4 sprigs of parsley, 1 bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves, wine, and brandy and mix to combine. Cover and marinate the mixture for 12 to 24 hours.
- When you’re ready to prepare it, remove the beef and pat each piece dry very well with paper towels. Season the beef on all sides with salt and pepper.
- Add the avocado oil to a large Dutch oven pot over medium-high heat and heat the oil for 90 seconds. Sear the beef on all sides until well browned, which takes 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- While they’re cooking add everything in the marinade to a medium-sized pot and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavors.
- Set the beef to the side and stir in the tomato paste into the rendered beef fat in the pot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat until it becomes a rust like color.
- Strain the reduced wine mixture into the pot and stir in the tomato paste. Next, pour in the beef stock, 8 sprigs of parsley, 6 to 8 sprigs of thyme, and bay leaf wrapped in a leek leaf, salt, pepper, and seared beef.
- Cook covered over low to medium heat for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until fork tender.
- While the beef is braising, add the cubed pork belly to a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, gently season with salt, and render the fat as well as crisp up the pork. Set them to the side.
- Add the pearl onions right to the pan, gently season with salt, and sauté over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned. Set them to the side.
- Finally, add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and turn the heat to high. Place in the mushrooms, gently season with salt, and spread them out over the pan and let them cook untouched for 3 to 4 minutes. Saute the mushrooms for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Set them aside.
- Once the beef is done cooking, remove them along with the bouquet garni, and add in the pork, onions, mushrooms, and carrots and cook over medium to medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender.
- Stir in the beurre manie and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until thickened.
- Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper, and finish with 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, and an optional 2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Place back in the beef and gently fold to combine all the ingredients. Serve hot.
I had a yearning for a meat stew so decided to make this recipe. The only changes I made were to add some beef marrow bones and some puréed fresh tomatoes (skinless and seedless). I used a full bodied Portuguese red wine from the Alentejo region (Esporão for those interested). The result was stunning. I was surprised at how flavorful it was despite adding the vegetables so much later, but it did indeed ensure that they did not disintegrate. Fantastic recipe, Billy! Five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Two thumbs up! 👍👍
Many thanks!
I love your recipes. There’s somewhat like what I make, but yours has a little different touch that I think would intensify mine. I love that about your cooking. Thank you so much for the recipes.
This was a big hit with my family and friends. Everyone asked for the recipe!
This by far is the best and most flavorful beef dish I have ever made!!! Thank you 👨🍳 chef Billy
Only thing I did different was to use plain old Italian red wine – you know the kind that comes with a basket attached to the bottom of the bottle- cannot remember what its actually called. Anyway, it was a gift sitting around for a while so why the heck not use it I thought? Worked fine ad the dish was delicioso!~. Thank you Bilie
L0VE……LOVE your work I have successfully used plenty of your recipes and will continue.
Fabulous tasty recipe awinner recipe if ChefBilly 😁👋😋🤩
many thanks!
Happy holidays Chief Billy so be trying tasty Recipe thank you 😁😋🤩👋🎶
Fabulous so looking forward to this recipe also 😋😁🤩thank you ChefBilly😁😋🤩👋
Delicious
so good!!
This classic French stew came out magnifique! Wish I could post a pic.
love it!
Loved it!!!!!
Thank you so much!!
my pleasure!
Thank you ChiefBilly loved it 😁👋😋
Soon as we go shopping 🛒 it be fantastic recipe thank you ChefBilly 😁😁👋🎶
Made it for a dinner party and my guests loved it. I threw a handful of peas in it and served with crispy bread, salad.
This is a home run!
fantastic!
Love this recipe. My family loves it too.
Thank you, appreciate you trying it!
I’ve made this several times now and have to say it never disappoints. I prefer your recipe over many others out there, specifically because of how you handle the vegetables. I often use pearl onions (because they’re awesome) and have found success using a good Cabernet here as well. Thanks for another solid recipe!
FYI, this is a duplicate review so I could include the 5 stars for you!
This was delicious! The only ingredient I didn’t have was the bacon but followed the rest of the recipe to the t. My bf said-“ oh, stew?☹️” but when he tasted it he loved it and had 3 servings!!! Will definitely be making this again very soon. Thanks, Chef!
love it!
Love this! I’ve made it twice now and both times my husband who does not eat. Leftovers has asked if we have more!
Love it!
I made this for the first night my son came in from Chicago for a few days at Christmas. He’s used to the fabulous restaurant fare in the Windy City, so I had a high standard to reach! Your recipe did not disappoint, it was wonderful, and now will replace the old one I had used for quite a few years.
Love this!
Happy holidays Billy,
want to try and make this but trying to do it all at once might be a bit much with a house full of guests. how about I complete recipe through step 6, chill and then bring to room temp and proceed with steps 7-complete prior to eating? Pros/cons. Please advise
Without doing it myself it’s hard to give you a perfect answer. I theory yes I believe it could work.
I’m excited to try this! My son in law and I made Julia Child’s version several years ago. I think I counted 35 or so steps. This sounds much more doable!
I’ve made this several times now and have to say it never disappoints. I prefer your recipe over many others out there, specifically because of how you handle the vegetables. I often use pearl onions (because they’re awesome) and have found success using a good Cabernet here as well. Thanks for another solid recipe!
Thank you (and I mean it) for not being one of those people who think Julia Child’s recipe is the real thing. No tomato in Bourguignon!
Not sure about the celery though, as it adds a very distinctive flavor to the sauce that seems to take away from the other aromatics.
The roux is a great trick to thicken the sauce. I use oxtail to add some well needed gelatin because I can’t find beef cheek very often and featherblade is very lean.
My grandmother also added a few anchovies (or a tablespoon of anchovy paste) to the braise and it definitely punched up the umami in the dish without distracting from the flavor. These days, I just use a few dashes of fish sauce because I have it on hand.
This is definitely a great dish and you do it justice.
can I use a bourdeux?
sure
I made this tonite. Bravo, it was excellent.
My notes:
Add double carrots
Add double Cippolini onions
Add double fingerling potatoes
And maybe a few extra mushrooms
For me, the broth was sufficient to add more bulk. As it was, it was barely enough to feed my family of two adults and two teens.
But very tasty!
This is my fave dish!!!
Looks really good! I’m going to try it in the next few weeks. Thanks for sharing!
hello am chef john ,
first time here an i enjoy these recipes am trying this one out ,i post on my facebook page
YUM!
This was my first time to your site. I wanted comment on every single recipe, but have gotta say that this one looks the best to me! Maybe I am just hungry for beef right now or low in iron. 🙂
I will try to hop into the twitter chat tomorrow on pots and pans. I don’t know how to look for one of the pots that you can put in the oven and on the stove (you can see that I don’t cook much).
Cheers,
Tia