Beef Bourguignon: A French Classic

Name: Classic French Beef Stew
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 cups Burgundy wine.; 2 onions, thinly sliced.; 2 carrots, chopped.; 2 tablespoons brandy.; 1 clove garlic, crushed.; 10 whole black peppercorns.; 1 teaspoon salt.; 1 sprig fresh parsley.; 1 bay leaf.; 2 pounds cubed beef chuck roast.; 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided.; ¼ pound bacon, cubed.; 2 onions, chopped.; 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour.; 2 cloves garlic, crushed.; 1 tablespoon tomato paste.; 1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth.; Salt and pepper to taste.; 4 tablespoons butter.; 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced.

Tender beef Bourguignon in a rich wine sauce with carrots, onions, and mushrooms, served beside red wine and a baguette on a rustic table. — Tender beef bourguignon in a rich wine sauce with carrots, onions, and mushrooms, served beside red wine and a baguette on a rustic table. | Kallaxa.com

Embark on a culinary journey with this exquisite Beef Bourguignon, a symphony of flavors slow-cooked to perfection.

The Origins Of Beef Bourguignon#

Hey there, fellow food lovers! Let me take you on a little culinary time travel. Imagine, if you will, a pot simmering over an open flame, fragrant with herbs and steeped in history. Yep, we\'re talking about the classic French dish, Beef Bourguignon. But don\'t think this is just some hoity-toity fare. This dish has humble beginnings, folks. Picture this: French peasants, back in the day, trying to make a tough ol\' cut of beef palatable. Low and slow cooking with a bottle of vino and some root veggies, and voilà, a masterpiece is born! 😋

Selecting Your Ingredients#

Okay, gang, before we go all gung-ho into cooking, let’s chat ingredients. Now, I ain’t no snob, but when it comes to a dish like Beef Bourguignon, quality matters. So, let\'s break it down. You’ll want to get cozy with your butcher and nab a good cut of beef. Chuck is your buddy here. Then, you’ll need some pancetta, because honestly, bacon makes everything better. Don’t forget the veggies—onions and carrots are your pals. And wine? Well, if you wouldn’t drink it, don’t cook with it!

The Beef Bourguignon Process#

Alright, let’s roll up our sleeves and dive into the nitty-gritty of making this culinary legend. Now, I’m gonna tell you straight up—this ain\'t no 30-minute meal. Beef Bourguignon is like that high-maintenance friend who ends up being worth the trouble. But trust me, the melt-in-your-mouth result is the stuff of dreams. 🍲

Prepping the Ingredients

First things first, we gotta prep. Chop, dice, and get everything looking pretty.

Browning the Beef

Then, get that beef browned to perfection. No grey meat allowed!

Building the Flavor

Add in those veggies and let them get all friendly with the beef in the pot.

The Long Simmer

Finally, the wine and broth join the party, and it\'s a slow simmer to Flavor Town.

Cooking Tips And Tricks#

So, you wanna know the secret handshake for making Beef Bourguignon that’ll have your friends and family tipping their hats to you? I\'ve got some tips and tricks that’ll turn you into a Bourguignon boss in no time. 😉

Patience, Young Grasshopper: This dish is all about the low and slow, so don\'t rush it!
Spoon Skimming: Keep an eye on the pot and skim off any excess fat that rises to the top.
Wine Wisdom: Choose a wine that’s bold enough to stand up to long cooking, like a nice Burgundy.

Serving And Pairing Ideas#

Now, let\'s talk serving this bad boy. Beef Bourguignon is like the prom king of your dinner table—it needs the right entourage. You’re gonna want some creamy mashed potatoes or a hunk of crusty bread to soak up that rich sauce. And pairing? Keep it simple, kiddos. A glass of the wine you used in cooking fits like a glove. 🍷

Leftovers And Storage Hacks#

What’s that? You actually have leftovers? Well, aren’t you lucky! Beef Bourguignon is like a fine wine—it gets better with age. Just make sure you store it right. Pop it in an airtight container, and it’ll be good in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for a couple of months. When reheating, do it gently; you don’t want to zap all the moisture out of it. Enjoy round two! 🍴

About Recipe

Recipe By: Ella Savory

Category: Beef

Last Updated: 2024-02-02

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 180 Minutes

Total Time: 210 Minutes

Yield: 8 Servings

Next: ~

Previuos: Hearty Beef Guinness Stew

Classic French Beef Stew Ingredients

01 3 cups Burgundy wine.

02 2 onions, thinly sliced.

03 2 carrots, chopped.

04 2 tablespoons brandy.

05 1 clove garlic, crushed.

06 10 whole black peppercorns.

07 1 teaspoon salt.

08 1 sprig fresh parsley.

09 1 bay leaf.

10 2 pounds cubed beef chuck roast.

11 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided.

12 ¼ pound bacon, cubed.

13 2 onions, chopped.

14 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour.

15 2 cloves garlic, crushed.

16 1 tablespoon tomato paste.

17 1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth.

18 Salt and pepper to taste.

19 4 tablespoons butter.

20 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced.

Classic French Beef Stew Step By Step

Step 01

Combine Burgundy wine, sliced onions, chopped carrots, brandy, crushed garlic, peppercorns, salt, parsley, and a bay leaf for the marinade. Coat the beef well, wrap it up and chill in the fridge for a couple of days.

Step 02

Post-marination, strain the beef and pat it dry. Keep the veggies and marinade aside for later. Brown the beef in a skillet with some oil. Do the same dance with the bacon and add it to the beef party.

Step 03

Pour a bit of the saved marinade into the skillet to deglaze it, and save this liquid gold with the rest of the marinade.

Step 04

Stir-fry some onions and the reserved veggies, sprinkle a flour shower until browned, and play mix-master with garlic, tomato paste, beef broth, and the marinade. Let it boil to marry the flavors.

Step 05

Pour the love potion over the beef, tuck it into a baking dish and let it slow cook in the oven. Before it's showtime, sauté mushrooms in butter, and add them to the mix.

Notes

French wines add an authentic depth, so don't skimp on the vino!.
Patience is key when marinating; 48 hours means 48 hours.
Brown the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet, aka beef traffic jam.
Deglazing is a fancy term for scraping up the tasty bits, so get your spoon ready.
If the stew seems too thick, add a splash of water, just like a French chef would do.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.

Calories: 458
Total Fat: ~
Total Carbohydrate: ~
Protein: ~

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