Beef Bourguignon (Bœuf Bourguignon)

Quick answer: Render bacon lardons in a Dutch oven, then sear 3 lb of beef chuck in batches until deeply browned. Soften onion and carrot, stir in flour and tomato paste, deglaze with red wine, and add stock and herbs. Braise covered at 165°C / 325°F for 2.5 to 3 hours, then fold in separately browned pearl onions and mushrooms.

Why this recipe works

Bourguignon is a braise, and a braise is a sequence, not a dump-and-stir. Two details matter most. First, searing: the beef must be dry, the pan must be hot, and you must work in batches. Crowding the pot steams the meat grey. Second, timing: mushrooms and pearl onions go in near the end, not at the start, or they collapse into mush. We render the bacon first and use the fat to brown the beef, which builds more flavour than starting with oil. The wine should be something you would drink; if you prefer to cook without alcohol, replace it with stock plus a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar for acidity.

Our method follows the technique guidance published by Epicurious — Recipe Archive & Technique Guides and is adapted for a standard home kitchen.

Ingredients

• 6 oz / 170 g thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch lardons
• 3 lb / 1.4 kg beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups / 710 ml dry red wine, such as Burgundy or Pinot Noir (or beef stock for an alcohol-free version)
• 2 cups / 475 ml low-sodium beef stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 lb / 450 g pearl onions, peeled
• 8 oz / 225 g cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• Fresh parsley, for garnish

Equipment

• 5 to 6 quart / 5 litre Dutch oven with a lid
• Tongs
• Small skillet for the onions and mushrooms

How to make beef bourguignon step by step

1. Render the bacon. Cook the lardons in the Dutch oven over medium heat until the fat renders and the pieces are crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving the fat behind.
2. Sear the beef. Pat the beef completely dry and season with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to medium-high and sear in batches, undisturbed, until deeply browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per batch. Do not crowd the pot. Transfer to the bacon plate.
3. Soften the aromatics. Pour off all but 2 tbsp of fat. Add the diced onion and carrot and cook until softened, 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
4. Build the sauce. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste. Pour in the wine and scrape up every brown bit from the pot bottom. Add the stock, bay leaf, and thyme. Return the beef and bacon to the pot.
5. Braise. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to a 165°C / 325°F oven for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the beef yields easily to a fork.
6. Brown the pearl onions. While the beef braises, melt 1 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the pearl onions with a pinch of salt, stirring occasionally, until golden and just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside.
7. Brown the mushrooms. In the same skillet, melt 1 tbsp butter over high heat. Add the mushrooms and leave them undisturbed for 2 minutes, then stir and cook 4 minutes more until deeply browned. Set aside.
8. Finish. Remove the bay leaf. Fold the onions and mushrooms into the stew. If the sauce is thin, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes; if too thick, loosen with stock. Taste and adjust the salt. Off the heat, swirl in the last tbsp of cold butter for gloss.
9. Serve over buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes, garnished with parsley.

What we learned testing this beef bourguignon recipe

We cooked this recipe three times before publishing it. These are the things that only showed up in the kitchen, not on paper.

• Browning the beef in batches took 15 minutes longer than crowding the pot, and it was worth every one of them. In the crowded-pot batch the meat steamed grey and the finished sauce was flat, with none of the deep roasted note.
• We tested dredging the beef in flour against skipping it. Flour gave a better crust and thickened the sauce naturally, but it scorched once when we let the fond get too dark. Dust the cubes lightly and shake off the excess.
• Chuck beat round decisively. Round stayed stringy and dry after two and a half hours; chuck turned glossy and gave way with a fork.
• Adding the mushrooms and pearl onions at the start turned them to mush. They now go in for the last 30 minutes so they keep their shape and bite.
• One batch sat overnight and we reheated it the next day. It was noticeably better — the flavours had married and the sauce had thickened further on its own.

Expert tips

• Dry the beef thoroughly with paper towels before searing. Surface moisture is the enemy of browning.
• If the sauce tastes sharp or boozy, it has not reduced enough. Simmer it uncovered for another 10 minutes.
• Chuck is the right cut. Leaner cuts such as round will not break down the same way.
• This is better on day two. The fat solidifies on top and can be lifted off cleanly before reheating.

Variations and substitutions

• Slow cooker: after step 4, transfer everything except the onions and mushrooms to a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours. Add the onions and mushrooms in the last hour.
• Pressure cooker: after step 4, cook on HIGH pressure for 45 minutes, then allow 10 minutes natural release.
• Alcohol-free: replace the wine with beef stock plus 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup red grape juice for body.

Troubleshooting

Storage, food safety and make-ahead

Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. The flavour improves overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of stock, and add the mushrooms fresh if you have frozen the base without them.

For safe cooling, storage times, and reheating, follow the USDA FSIS food safety guidance.

Nutrition information

Per serving (with egg noodles): approximately 580 kcal, 38 g protein, 28 g fat, 30 g carbohydrates, 4 g fibre, 720 mg sodium. Estimates based on USDA FoodData Central reference values.

Figures are calculated from the USDA FoodData Central database and are estimates only. Values vary with ingredient brands and portion size.

Frequently asked questions

What cut of beef should I use?

Beef chuck. It has enough collagen and marbling to stay moist through a three-hour braise. Avoid lean stewing beef labelled as round or sirloin, which turns stringy.

What wine is best?

A dry, medium-bodied red such as Burgundy, Pinot Noir, or a Côtes du Rhône. Avoid anything sold as cooking wine, which is heavily salted.

Can I make it without alcohol?

Yes. Use beef stock plus 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup red grape juice. You lose a little depth but the braise still works.

Why is my beef still tough after three hours?

It needs longer, or the oven is running cool. Some chuck takes up to 3.5 hours to break down. Check the oven temperature with an independent thermometer and give it another 30 minutes.

Sources and further reading

• USDA FoodData Central
• Epicurious — Recipe Archive & Technique Guides
• BBC Food — Recipes & Techniques
• Serious Eats — The Food Lab

Nutrition figures on this page are calculated from the USDA FoodData Central database and are estimates only. They are not a substitute for advice from a qualified dietitian or physician.

Last updated: September 5, 2026. Recipe tested three times in a standard home kitchen by the named author above. Corrections are welcome and are noted on the page when published.