Beef bourguignon

Name: Beef bourguignon
Prep time: 765 min
Cook time: 195 min
Total time: 960 min
Yield: 6 servings

Posted: 14/01/2026Updated: 14/01/2026

A slow-braised French stew of tender beef chunks, carrots, and lardons cooked in red Burgundy wine and fresh herbs. It’s finished with glazed pearl onions and sautéed mushrooms.

Serve with mashed or boiled potatoes, and optionally crusty bread. Steamed vegetables like green beans or glazed carrots can be added too.

Active prep: 45 minutesPassive prep: 12 hoursActive cooking: 35 minutesPassive cooking: 2.7 hours

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Ingredients

Adjust servingsServings

Beef and marinade

1.5 kilograms Beef chuck or shin
750 millilitres Burgundy wine
1 small Brown onion
2 cloves Garlic
4 Parsley stalks
2 Fresh thyme sprigs
1 Fresh rosemary sprig (optional)
2 Bay leaves
1 teaspoon Whole black peppercorns

Stew

150 grams Lardons
2 large Carrots
1 small Brown onion
2 cloves Garlic
3 tablespoons Plain flour
300 millilitres Beef stock
4 Parsley stalks
2 Fresh thyme sprigs
1 Fresh rosemary sprig (optional)
2 Bay leaves
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste

Garnish

20 Pearl onions
250 grams Button mushrooms
1 tablespoon Unsalted butter
1 teaspoon White sugar (optional)
1 handful Fresh parsley

Instructions

Beef and marinade

Cut the beef into 2-inch pieces, slice the brown onion, and lightly crush the garlic.
Create a bouquet garni with the parsley stalks, thyme, bay leaf (optionally rosemary too) by tying them together with string.
Combine the beef, onion, garlic, bouquet garni, wine and black peppercorns in a large bowl and cover. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours.

Stew

Strain the beef and reserve the wine. Discard everything else.
Pat the beef dry with paper towels.
In a large heavy pot, cook the lardons over medium heat until the fat has rendered. Remove and set aside but keep the rendered fat in the pot.
Sear the beef chunks on all sides until well browned then set aside.
In the same pot, sauté the chopped carrots and the sliced onion, and cook for another 5 minutes until lightly golden.
Roughly chop the garlic and fry until fragrant.
Return the beef and lardons to the pot, then sprinkle the flour over and stir for a minute to coat.
Pour in the reserved wine and enough beef stock to just cover the meat. Add a freshly assembled bouquet garni (parsley stalks, thyme, bay leaf and optionally rosemary too).
Bring to a simmer, then cover tightly and place in an oven pre-heated to 160°C for 2.5–3 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.

Garnish

In a pan, melt half the butter and add the pearl onions and sugar. Cook until golden, stirring occasionally.
Add a splash of water, cover, and simmer gently until tender.
In another pan, sauté mushrooms in the remaining butter over medium-high heat until browned and their liquid evaporates.
When the beef is tender, remove the bouquet garni and skim excess fat.
Stir in the onions and mushrooms then simmer uncovered on medium-low heat for 10–15 minutes to thicken and develop the flavour.

Video tutorial

Helpful notes

Cooking tips

Skipping the marinade: This is fine but marinating gives a deeper, more balanced flavour.
Searing the beef: Properly drying beforehand is crucial to properly sear the beef. Any moisture on the beef will cause it to steam. Similarly, overcrowding the pan causes steaming instead of browning.
Cooking without the oven: This is possible but will require more care to manage the heat correctly to not overcook the beef and reduce the stew too quickly. You want the liquid to be barely simmering. The heat should be low or the lowest possible setting once it’s simmering. Try to use a dutch oven as they retain heat much better than other materials. This will help to evenly heat the stew.
Don’t stir too often: It breaks up the meat. Occasionally move pieces gently to prevent sticking.
The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. If not, reduce uncovered until it does.
Simmer the pearl onions gently with sugar and butter to avoid splitting or burning.
Sauté the mushrooms separately and at high heat until liquid evaporates. Adding them too early to the stew can make it watery.
Let the stew sit 10–15 minutes off heat before serving.

Alternative ingredients

Short rib, brisket, or blade steak can be used instead as they are suitable for slow braising; avoid lean cuts like sirloin.
Shallots can be used instead of pearl onions. Avoid using pickled variations of onions though.
Pancetta or smoked streaky bacon works but avoid lean bacon.
Optionally add diced celery to be cooked with the onion and carrots.
Cremini, chestnut, or portobello can replace button mushrooms.

Storage instructions

Allow the stew to cool to room temperature (no more than 2 hours) before storing. Remove the bouquet garni and skim any excess fat.

Refrigeration: Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Freezer: Transfer to freezer-safe containers and store for 2-3 months.

Re-heating instructions

Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before re-heating. Add a splash of beef stock or water to loosen the sauce.

Stove: Re-heat gently on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. Avoid high heat as it can toughen the beef and cause the sauce to separate.

Microwave: Re-heat in short bursts, stirring in between for even heating.

Nutrition and dietary facts

Dairy-free

Per serving:Calories: 510kcal (23%), Protein: 42g (70%), Fat: 25.8g (32%), Saturated fat: 9g (60%), Carbohydrates: 14.1g (5%), Sugars: 5.5g (22%), Fibre: 3g (10%)

NOTE: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is an estimate based on ingredients and cooking instructions as described - it is intended for informational purposes only.