Classic Beef Bourguignon: A French Countryside Adventure
A luxurious French classic featuring tender beef chuck braised in a rich red wine sauce with carrots, pearl onions, and smoky bacon.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 6 oz thick-cut bacon, diced
- 1 bottle (750ml) dry red wine (Pinot Noir or Burgundy)
- 2 cups beef stock
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 lb carrots, sliced into chunks
- 15 pearl onions, peeled
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Sauté diced bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Pat beef cubes dry and season with salt and pepper. Sear the beef in batches over high heat in the bacon fat until deeply browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Add carrots and pearl onions to the pot. Cook for 5-7 minutes until lightly caramelized.
- Stir in minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the entire bottle of red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.
- Return the beef and bacon to the pot. Pour in beef stock and add thyme and bay leaves.
- Cover with a tight lid and place in a preheated oven at 325°F (160°C) for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until beef is fork-tender.
- Remove from oven. If the sauce is too thin, simmer on the stove for 10 minutes or whisk in a small knob of butter for extra richness.