This classic beef bourguignon with red wine and no stock so is perfect if you're looking for a traditional recipe for this rich French beef stew. Delicious for a family dinner or for easy entertaining as it can be made in advance and is also perfect for batch cooking.
On a cold winter's day in February, what you need to eat is a stew. You could make one with meat, vegetables and stock. A simple stew like that is delicious, but on certain days you need to push the boat out a little and not hold back on the red wine. On days like that a rich classic beef bourguignon is the stew to go for. I read somewhere that a real traditional bourguignon doesn't contain any stock, just red wine, and so that's what I've gone for here.
The Key to a Traditional Beef Bourguignon
The key to a good beef bourguignon is not to skimp on the wine. I have to admit that I rarely use quite as much wine as this. Normally I use a little bit, about a glassful. After all, we want to have the rest of the bottle to enjoy with the meal. This time I went to the other extreme pouring half the bottle into the pan and saving just a large glass each to enjoy with the meal. At least I wasn't cooking for more people, then there would have been none left!
The bourguignon itself is rich and tasty. The bacon, beef and mushrooms are a perfect match for all that red wine and you'll be tempted to lick the plate. Although I did just cook this at home for me and my husband, it would be a perfect meal to serve for friends too as you can prepare it in advance and just heat it up to serve. Like lots of stews, it's even more tasty the next day.
Classic Beef Bourguignon Recipe
Recipe
Classic Beef Bourguignon
Ingredients
- 300 g beef
- 2 slices bacon diced
- 150 g mushrooms cut in half
- 8 shallots peeled but left whole
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 400 ml French red wine
Instructions
- Heat a little oil in an ovenproof saucepan and brown the meat on both sides. Remove the meat from the pan.
- Cook the bacon until it is browned and then add the mushrooms, shallots and garlic. Cook for another few minutes until it's beginning to brown then add the herbs, tomato puree and a dash of the red wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan so that any bits that are beginning to stick to the pan go back into the sauce.
- Return the beef to the pan and top with enough red wine to just cover the contents. Bring to the boil and then put in the oven at 150°C. Cook for three hours.
- Take the pan out of the oven. If there is too much sauce, take the vegetables and meat out of the pan and boil the sauce to reduce. To keep the meat and vegetables warm, put them in another oven-proof container and return them to the oven until the sauce has reduced.
- Serve with baked or mashed potatoes.
Notes
Nutrition
More Stew Recipes you Might like
If you like this classic beef bourguignon recipe then why not try one of my other stews:
Beef and Barley Vegetable Stew
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petra08
Delicious! I love beef bourguignon, it is like posh comfort food! Your version looks perfect to just tuck in to )and I would if I could!) 🙂 .
Corina
Posh comfort food is exactly what it is - love your description!
ImBoredLetsEat
I've read Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" and I've always wanted to try this! Looks good!
Corina
Oh you should try it! It tastes so good and is real comfort food too, but comfort food you can serve to guests too if you want.
Lily Lau
Love your recipe, it must taste heavenly!
Corina
Thank you. It's really tasty.
Dana Fashina
This is so necessary right now. So necessary.
Corina
It's all that wine!