Fall-Apart Tender Beef Bourguignon You Can Make at Home
Classic French beef stew with chuck roast, red wine, carrots, pearl onions, and mushrooms, braised until fork-tender.
Equipment
- Large oven-safe pot with lid
- 12-inch high-sided skillet
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 8 oz bacon or salt pork
- 3 lb chuck roast chopped into 2-inch pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- oil for searing beef and sautéing vegetables
- 1 tbsp butter for coating beef with flour
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 lb carrots about 7-8 medium, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 6 garlic cloves smashed and sliced
- 3 cup red wine a 750ml bottle
- 2-4 cup beef broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/3 cup parsley chopped
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- rind from salt pork if using
- 14 oz frozen pearl onions
- 2 cup water for pearl onions
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt for pearl onions
- 2 tbsp butter for pearl onions
- 1 lb mushrooms halved or quartered
- 4 tbsp butter divided, for mushrooms
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided, for mushrooms
Instructions
- Cook the bacon or salt pork in a large oven-safe pot over medium heat until lightly browned. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot. If using salt pork, cut off the rind first and reserve it.
- Pat the chuck roast dry and season with salt and pepper. Sear in batches in the hot fat over medium-high heat, 1-2 minutes per side, until well browned. Transfer to a plate.
- Lower heat to medium and return the beef and cooked bacon or salt pork to the pot. Add butter, let it melt, then sprinkle in the flour and stir to coat. Cook 1-2 minutes, then turn off heat and set aside.
- In a 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and sauté the onion and carrots for 3-4 minutes until browning. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant. Remove vegetables to a bowl.
- In the same skillet, bring the red wine to a boil, scraping up browned bits. Simmer until reduced by about 1 cup, 10-15 minutes. (Optional step.)
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Pour the reduced wine over the beef in the pot. Add enough beef broth to almost cover the beef. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, scraping the bottom. Stir in tomato paste, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and salt pork rind if using.
- Cover the pot and place in the oven. Cook for 1 hour 30 minutes, then stir in the sautéed carrots and onions, cover, and return to the oven for another 60-90 minutes, until the beef is very tender.
- While the stew braises, simmer the pearl onions in water, salt, and butter for about 20 minutes until the water evaporates, then brown in the remaining butter. Remove to a plate.
- In the same skillet, melt butter with olive oil and sauté the mushrooms in two batches, about 4 minutes each, until browned. Remove to a plate.
- Check the beef after a minimum of 2.5 hours total cooking time; it should break apart easily. If not tender, cook another 20-40 minutes.
- If the sauce is thinner than desired, strain out the meat and vegetables, simmer the sauce alone until thickened and coating the back of a spoon, then recombine.
- Remove the thyme stems, bay leaves, and salt pork rind. Stir in the pearl onions and mushrooms. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles.
Notes
Refrigerate leftovers up to 3-4 days; flavor deepens over time. Freezes well in flat freezer bags; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Wine can be replaced with beef broth in a pinch, though the dish becomes closer to a standard beef stew. Sautéing the pearl onions and mushrooms separately is optional but gives the best texture and flavor.
