French Beef Bourguignon Recipe – Tender Beef Stew with Red Wine, Cognac, and Mushrooms
This French Beef Bourguignon is my mom's recipe. It is a rich, slow-cooked beef stew made with tender chunks of beef simmered in red wine, beef stock, and a splash of cognac. Flavored with bacon, mushrooms, pearl onions, carrots, garlic, and fresh herbs, it’s the ultimate comfort food classic. The sauce becomes luxuriously thick and deeply savory as it braises in the oven. Serve this hearty dish with creamy mashed potatoes, steamed green beans, and a crisp green salad, garnished with fresh parsley. Don’t forget some artisan baguette to soak up the sauce — and a good glass of red wine to complete the meal.
Ingredients
- 1 kg 2.2 lbs beef (top round, inside round, or chuck), cut into 2 cm cubes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 100 g 3.5 oz bacon, diced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2-3 carrots peeled and diced
- 20 pearl onions or 10 shallots
- 200 g 7 oz button mushrooms, halved
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp cognac (or brandy)
- 500 ml 2 cups red wine (preferably Burgundy, or your choice)
- 500 ml 2 cups beef stock
- 1 - 2 bay leafs
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 tsp dried thyme
- 0,5 dl chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients:
- Peel the pearl onions, halve the mushrooms, and dice the carrots. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the beef cubes in flour, shaking off any excess.
Brown the bacon:
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until golden and crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pot. Spoon out any excess.
Brown the beef:
- Add the butter and oil to the remaining bacon fat. Increase the heat to medium-high and brown the beef cubes in batches on all sides until deeply caramelized. Transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.
Build the flavor base:
- Lower the heat slightly. Add the minced garlic and sauté briefly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Pour in 2–3 tablespoons of cognac and let it bubble for about 30 seconds, scraping up any remaining fond (browned bits). This adds deep, aromatic flavor to the stew.
- Return the beef and bacon to the pot. Pour in the red wine and bring to a gentle simmer for a few minutes to reduce slightly. Add the 2 cups of beef stock, ensuring the meat is fully covered in liquid. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
Add vegetables and herbs:
- Stir in the bay leaf, thyme, carrots, and pearl onions. Bring back to a simmer, then cover the pot with a lid.
Slow-cook in the oven:
- Transfer the pot to a preheated oven at 160°C (320°F) and cook gently for about 2 hours, checking occasionally to ensure there’s enough liquid. Add a little more stock or water if needed.
Add the mushrooms:
- While the stew cooks, sauté the halved mushrooms in a little butter until golden. After 2 hours, stir the mushrooms into the stew and continue to cook for an additional 30 minutes, uncovered if you prefer a thicker sauce.
Finish and serve:
- Remove the bay leafs and thyme sprigs. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Garnish generously with chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
Serving Suggestions
Serve your Beef Bourguignon with:- Creamy mashed potatoes to soak up the rich sauce
- Steamed green beans and a crisp green salad for freshness
- Warm artisan baguette or rustic bread for mopping the plate clean
- And, of course, a glass of good red wine!
Chef’s Tips
- The stew tastes even better the next day, once the flavors have melded.
- For the best flavor, take your time browning the beef well on all sides before adding the wine and stock. That deep caramelization is the secret behind the rich, savory taste of this Classic Beef Bourguignon (Boeuf Bourguignon, burgundinpata). It’s the small step that makes a big difference — just as my mom always did.