Slow-Braised Beef Bourguignon With Red Wine and Mushrooms

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 6 servings
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 3 hours
• Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) beef chuck, cut in 2-inch cubes
• 6 oz (170 g) thick-cut bacon, diced
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (480 ml) dry red wine (Burgundy or Pinot Noir)
• 2 cups (480 ml) beef broth (low sodium)
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves + 6 fresh thyme sprigs
• 12 oz (340 g) cremini or white mushrooms, quartered
• 1 1/2 cups pearl onions (fresh or frozen, peeled)
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Do This

• 1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat beef dry, season well with salt and pepper.
• 2. Brown bacon in a large Dutch oven; remove. Sear beef in batches in bacon fat and a little oil; remove.
• 3. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery, then add garlic and tomato paste. Stir in flour and cook 1–2 minutes.
• 4. Deglaze with red wine, scraping browned bits. Add beef, bacon, broth, bay leaves, thyme; bring to a simmer.
• 5. Cover and braise in oven 2 1/2–3 hours until beef is very tender.
• 6. While it braises, sauté mushrooms and pearl onions in butter until golden; season with salt and pepper.
• 7. Stir mushrooms and onions into stew, simmer 10 minutes to meld. Adjust seasoning and serve hot with mashed potatoes, noodles, or crusty bread.

---

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Deep, wine-rich sauce and meltingly tender beef make this the ultimate cold-weather comfort food.
• Mostly hands-off cooking: a bit of prep, then the oven does the slow braising for you.
• Makes fantastic leftovers; the flavor actually improves the next day.
• Feels special enough for a dinner party but is simple enough for a cozy weekend meal.

Grocery List

• Produce: Onion, carrots, celery, garlic, cremini (or white) mushrooms, pearl onions, fresh thyme, fresh parsley.
• Dairy: Unsalted butter.
• Pantry: Beef chuck roast, thick-cut bacon, vegetable oil, all-purpose flour, tomato paste, dry red wine (Burgundy/Pinot Noir), beef broth, bay leaves, salt, black pepper.

Full Ingredients

For the Beef and Braise

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) cubes, excess fat trimmed
• 6 oz (170 g) thick-cut bacon, diced
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (plus a little more as needed)
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) rounds
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (480 ml) dry red wine (Burgundy, Pinot Noir, or another dry red)
• 2 cups (480 ml) beef broth, preferably low sodium
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 fresh thyme sprigs (or 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

For the Mushrooms and Pearl Onions

• 12 oz (340 g) cremini or white mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
• 1 1/2 cups pearl onions, peeled (fresh or frozen and thawed)
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)

To Finish and Serve

• 2–3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• Optional: mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or crusty bread for serving

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the Beef and Vegetables

Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat the beef cubes very dry with paper towels; dry meat browns better. Season all over with about 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Dice the bacon. Chop the onion and celery, slice the carrots into thick rounds, and mince the garlic. Clean the mushrooms and quarter them. If using fresh pearl onions, trim the root ends, blanch in boiling water for 1 minute, then slip off the skins under cold water. Set all the vegetables aside in separate bowls so they are ready when you need them.

Step 2: Brown the Bacon and Beef

Place a large, heavy Dutch oven (5–7 quart) over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the bacon is browned and crisp, about 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a bowl, leaving the fat in the pot.

Add 1–2 tablespoons vegetable oil if the pot looks dry. Increase the heat to medium-high. Working in 2–3 batches to avoid crowding, sear the beef cubes on all sides until deeply browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. Do not rush this step; good browning builds flavor. Transfer browned beef to the bowl with the bacon as you go. If the pot gets too dark or starts to burn, lower the heat slightly.

Step 3: Sauté the Aromatics

Once all the beef is browned and set aside, reduce the heat to medium. If there is more than about 3 tablespoons of fat in the pot, carefully spoon off excess, leaving enough to coat the bottom.

Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until the vegetables start to soften and take on a little color, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes to caramelize it slightly; it should darken in color. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, stirring to coat, and cook for another 1–2 minutes. This helps thicken the sauce later and removes the raw flour taste.

Step 4: Deglaze and Build the Braising Liquid

Pour in the red wine while stirring, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release all the flavorful browned bits. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–4 minutes to reduce the wine slightly.

Return the browned beef and bacon (with any accumulated juices) to the pot. Add the beef broth, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs. The liquid should just about cover the meat; if not, add a little more broth or water as needed.

Bring the mixture up to a simmer on the stove. Once it is gently bubbling, cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid.

Step 5: Braise Low and Slow in the Oven

Transfer the covered pot to the preheated 325°F (160°C) oven. Braise for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the beef is very tender and can be easily pulled apart with a fork. Check once about halfway through and give it a gentle stir to make sure nothing is sticking and that the liquid level still looks good. If it seems dry, stir in a splash more broth or water.

While the beef braises, you can clean up and then prepare the mushrooms and pearl onions so they are ready to finish the dish.

Step 6: Sauté the Mushrooms and Pearl Onions

About 30–40 minutes before the braise is done, place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons butter. When the butter is foamy and hot, add the quartered mushrooms in a single layer. Cook without moving them for 2–3 minutes to get good browning, then stir and continue cooking for another 4–5 minutes until golden and any released liquid has mostly evaporated. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl.

In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. When melted, add the pearl onions. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until they are golden in spots and tender, 6–8 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the onions to the bowl with the mushrooms and set aside.

Step 7: Finish the Sauce and Combine Everything

When the beef is fork-tender, carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven and take off the lid. Discard the bay leaves and thyme stems.

If there is a lot of visible fat on top, use a spoon to skim off some of it. If you prefer a slightly thicker sauce, you can simmer the stew on the stovetop over medium heat, uncovered, for 10–15 minutes to reduce it until it reaches your desired consistency. Stir occasionally to keep it from sticking.

Gently stir the sautéed mushrooms and pearl onions into the stew. Simmer together on low heat for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. The sauce should be rich, glossy, and well seasoned with a pronounced but smooth red wine flavor.

Step 8: Serve Warm and Enjoy

Just before serving, stir in most of the chopped fresh parsley, reserving a little for garnish. Serve the beef bourguignon hot, ladled into warm shallow bowls.

It is excellent spooned over creamy mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or alongside thick slices of crusty bread to soak up the sauce. Garnish each serving with a final sprinkle of fresh parsley. This dish tastes even better if made a day ahead and gently reheated, so do not hesitate to plan for leftovers.

Pro Tips

• Brown in batches: Crowding the pan steams the meat instead of searing it. Give each cube space so it develops a deep brown crust.
• Use a wine you would drink: Choose a dry red you enjoy (Burgundy, Pinot Noir, or Côtes du Rhône). If it tastes good in the glass, it will taste good in the stew.
• Do not rush the braise: If the beef is not tender yet, keep cooking. Tough beef almost always just needs more time at low heat.
• Cool and reheat for deeper flavor: The stew’s flavors meld and deepen if you make it a day ahead and reheat gently on the stovetop.
• Adjust thickness at the end: If the sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered to reduce. If too thick, stir in a splash of hot broth or water.

Variations

• Classic with lardons and brandy: Use slab bacon cut into thick lardons and deglaze the pan with a splash of brandy before adding the wine for a subtle extra layer of flavor.
• Mushroom-forward version: Double the mushrooms, using a mix of cremini, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms for a more intense earthy flavor and varied texture.
• Slow cooker adaptation: Brown the bacon, beef, and vegetables as directed, then transfer everything to a slow cooker. Cook on Low for 8–9 hours or High for 4–5 hours, adding the sautéed mushrooms and pearl onions in the last hour.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Allow the beef bourguignon to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavors improve after a night in the fridge, making this an ideal make-ahead dish for entertaining. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low to medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened too much. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Stir occasionally as it reheats to prevent sticking or scorching.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 6 servings (without mashed potatoes, noodles, or bread): about 550–600 calories; 35–40 g protein; 30–35 g fat; 15–18 g carbohydrates; 2–3 g fiber; 5–6 g sugar; 900–1100 mg sodium (will vary based on broth, bacon, and added salt). These numbers are estimates and will vary based on specific ingredients and portion sizes.