Screw this up and you'll be simmering gently all week
Big chunks of beef slowly braised in a whole bottle of Burgundy until meltingly tender, finished with crispy lardons, buttery mushrooms and glossy little onions. It's a stew wearing a tuxedo.
The challenge
- Searing meat without steaming
- Rendering lardons
- Precise braise temperature control
- Wine reduction without bitterness
Burgundian beef stew that's significantly more involved than throwing everything in a pot. A full bottle of red wine reduces with beef stock, aromatics, and tomato paste into a deep, glossy sauce that takes hours of gentle simmering.
The beef must become fork-tender without crossing into stringy or dry territory, which requires vigilant heat control throughout the braise. Bringing everything together at the end means timing multiple components so they're all hot and ready simultaneously, and the sauce needs final adjustments that can make or break the entire dish.
Prep: 45 minutes ย ยทย Cook: 3 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
For the braise
- 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) beef chuck, cut into 5 cm (2 in) chunks
- 200 g (7 oz) smoked bacon or pancetta, cut into lardons
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 carrots, thickly sliced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 750 ml (1 bottle) dry red wine, ideally Burgundy (Pinot Noir)
- 500 ml (2 cups) beef stock
- Bouquet garni: 4 thyme sprigs, 2 bay leaves and parsley stalks tied together
For the garnish
- 300 g (10 oz) pearl onions or small shallots, peeled
- 300 g (10 oz) button or chestnut mushrooms, halved
- 40 g (3 tbsp) butter
- 1 tsp sugar
- Chopped parsley, to serve
Method
- Dry and season the beefPat the beef very dry with paper towels (wet meat steams instead of searing) and season with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 150ยฐC (300ยฐF).
- Render the lardonsPut the lardons and 1 tbsp oil into a large cast-iron casserole over medium heat and cook slowly for 8โ10 minutes until golden and the fat has rendered. Lift out with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Sear in batchesTurn the heat to medium-high. Sear the beef in 3โ4 batches without crowding, leaving each side undisturbed for 2โ3 minutes until deep brown. Add a little more oil if needed. Transfer each batch to a plate.
- Soften the vegetablesLower the heat to medium, add the carrots and onion and cook for 8 minutes until lightly browned. Add the garlic for 1 minute, then stir in the flour and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.
- Reduce the winePour in about a third of the wine and scrape up all the browned bits. Add the rest of the wine and simmer briskly for 8โ10 minutes until reduced by about a third. Cooking off the raw alcohol here stops the finished sauce tasting harsh or bitter.
- Start the braiseReturn the beef, half the lardons and any juices to the pot. Add the stock and bouquet garni; the liquid should almost cover the meat. Bring to a bare simmer, cover and transfer to the oven.
- Low and slowBraise for 2.5โ3 hours, checking every 45 minutes. The liquid should be just trembling, never boiling; if it's bubbling hard, drop the oven to 140ยฐC (285ยฐF). The beef is ready when a fork slides in with no resistance but the chunks still hold their shape.
- Glaze the onionsIn the last 30 minutes, melt half the butter in a frying pan, add the pearl onions, sugar, a pinch of salt and 100 ml (scant 1/2 cup) water. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, then uncover and cook until the liquid evaporates and the onions turn glossy and golden.
- Brown the mushroomsIn the same pan, melt the remaining butter over high heat and fry the mushrooms in a single layer for 5โ6 minutes until well browned. Season.
- Finish the sauceLift the beef out and discard the bouquet garni. Skim the fat off the sauce, then simmer it on the hob until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Return the beef, onions, mushrooms and remaining lardons and warm through for 5 minutes.
- ServeScatter with parsley and serve with buttery mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes or crusty bread.
- Plan your weekServe with mash and a glass of the same wine you cooked with. Freeze any leftovers, because you've earned a night off. If you messed it up, sorry, back on the stove you go, simmering gently until Friday.
Tips from the trenches
- Bone-dry beef plus an uncrowded pan is the whole secret to a real sear. If it's hissing quietly and going grey, you've crowded it.
- Use a wine you'd happily drink. A cheap, harsh wine only gets harsher as it reduces.
- The oven gives far steadier, gentler heat than the stovetop, so the beef goes tender rather than stringy.
- Like most braises, it's even better made a day ahead. Chill it, lift off the set fat and reheat gently.
โBeef bourguignon is one of the most delicious beef stews concocted by man.โโ Julia Child
