I have simplified beef bourguignon, making it easier and faster to get this delicious, succulent, and sumptuous stew on the table.
Beef Bourguignon (or Burgundy beef stew) is a French classic popularized in the United States by Julia Child. I’ve taken Julia’s recipe and streamlined it, making it easier for us to make over a weekend or even on a weekday if you will be home during the day.
One of the best parts of roasting meats is the aroma that fills your home while they are cooking and which linger long afterward – if you are lucky. Two days later and my home still smells incredible from this French beef stew made with red wine and rich beef stock.
Julia’s original recipe took an entire day, had many steps that do benefit the final flavor, but some steps can be simplified to make this a bit easier to make. It is a little faster, yet still gives you the intense flavors that make this stew one of the recipes that every culinary student learns in school.
There is beef stew and then there is Bourguignon, and though they both utilize similar techniques, they are as different as night and day. Beef stew is wonderful comfort food that always reminds me of my mom and family meals around the table with lots of jokes, stories, and laughter. But when I want to dial it up, I make Bourguignon.
You need to use a tough cut of meat with plenty of fat running through it for this dish. The slow cooking method melts the fat, tenderizing the meats and leaving you with the most delectable meal you have ever eaten. And one of the best things is that it takes a cheap cut of meat. So you eat like king on a pauper’s budget!
Partially frozen meat is easiest to cut, so I cut the London broil into cubes the night before while it is very cold and store it in a resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator. And I chop the onions while I am at it, storing them in the same bag. The next day I set up a small baking sheet with layers of paper towels. Working in batches, I pat the beef pieces dry and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. Top with more paper towels and continue patting the beef dry because, as Julia taught us, wet beef just steams and never really forms the deep, wonderful browning that creates the intense flavors.
I always use my Dutch oven for this simplified beef bourguignon. While you may be tempted to use a slow cooker, it just will not give you the same depth of flavor. The reason is you really need to brown the beef thoroughly, in batches, and then the onions and carrots in the same pan to create the intense layers of flavor.
When you deglaze the pan with the wine and stock, all those beautiful brown crispy bits melt and create the unbelievable sauce that the meat cooks in. A slow cooker cannot recreate these layers of flavor. Once you’ve got everything browned and combined, place the pot in the oven and forget about it for a few hours.
If you want to use a more expensive cut of beef (more tender), brown it in the bacon drippings and set aside. Proceed with the recipe and add the meat after most of the cooking time has completed – it won’t need as long in the stew!
When you are cooking with wine do not take shortcuts and use cheap wine, especially “cooking wine”. You want a wine that is good enough to drink on its own because as it reduces the flavor becomes more pronounced and any bitterness will be amplified.
You also don’t have to break the bank and buy an extremely expensive bottle. A good, solid, middle-of-the road wine is perfect. If you are unsure of which wine to use for this dish, you can speak to your wine merchant. They are always delighted to help us choose the best bottle for our purposes.
This is one of the most wine-friendly meals. It is cooked with a whole bottle of rich red wine that is balanced with beef stock, softening the possible bitterness of the broth. Usually I serve this meal with more of the same wine I cooked with, but this time I served a beautiful cabernet sauvignon from Keenan Winery, Napa Valley. If you haven’t discovered this amazing winery, now is a chance to explore new territory.
When the days are cold and the nights seem to last forever, make this simplified beef bourguignon for your friends and family and gather around the table to share it. I guarantee that you will hear sighs of delight as they dig into their bowls. It is worth every moment of preparation and the love you put into it will transform every person who has a bite!
I hope you try this simplified beef bourguignon and let me know what you think. We love it and look forward to it during cool and wet winter days!
What are some of your other favorite slow-cooked meals?
Did you enjoy this recipe? Let me know in the comments and leave a star rating, I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for Simplified Beef Bourguignon:
- Beef, carrots, onions, flour, red wine, beef stock, tomato paste
- Bacon, garlic, shallots, thyme, bay leaf, pearl onions
- Mushrooms, butter, garlic, potatoes, rice, or noodles
PRO Tip:
The biggest tip that Julia taught all of us was to start with dry meat cubes. Too often we rush this step and the meat winds up steaming instead of getting a really dark sear.
How to make Simplified Beef Bourguignon:
- Prep all the ingredients and set aside; heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the bacon until the fat has rendered, then transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate
- Pat the beef dry and brown it in batches in the bacon drippings; as each batch browns on all sides, transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl
- Add the carrots and onions to the same pot and cook about 3 minutes until slightly softened, reduce heat to medium-low and add the beef and bacon to the vegetables; sprinkle with flour and toss to distribute the flour, cook, stirring often, 3 minutes.
- Add the wine/stock mixture and using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom and sides of the pan, releasing any browned bits which add tremendous flavor to the stew; stir in the garlic, shallots, thyme, bay leaf, and pearl onions, cover the pot with a lid and place in a 325°F oven, cook 3 to 4 hours or until fork tender, stirring occasionally.
- When the meat is tender remove from the oven and leave on the stove with the lid on to rest while you make the mushrooms; melt the butter in a skillet and sauté the mushrooms until they have given off their liquid and begin to brown
- Add the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper to taste, cook about 30 seconds longer until the garlic is fragrant being careful not to burn it; transfer mushroom mixture to the beef and vegetable stew, stirring to combine, tasting and adjusting as needed with salt and pepper
- Serve the stew over mashed potatoes, cooked rice, or boiled noodles (gluten-free if needed); sprinkle with parsley and serve hot
What is Braising and How To Do It:
Braising, used in this simplified beef bourguignon, is the technique of slowly cooking foods in liquid and one of the foundations of great cooking. It keeps meats moist and tenderizes even the cheapest, toughest cuts. Meats that you normally have to sharpen your knife to cut, let alone chew, become meltingly tender with low, slow cooking.
Another benefit is that you do not have to do anything as this miracle happens. Just put everything in a pot with a tight-fitting lid, put it in the oven, and let it simmer happily for a few hours. The cooking liquid reduces and becomes a richly flavored sauce.
Make sure you serve any braised meats with something that can help you get the most out of the amazing sauce. I prefer mashed potatoes or pasta, but many people will serve this over cooked rice or other grains. You could even use slices of bread in the bottom of the bowl. Use whatever makes you happy because you are going to want to enjoy every single drop!
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
Gluten-Free Tips:
If you don’t normally cook gluten-free, buy a brand new wooden spoon and a plastic cutting board because wood can harbor minute amounts of gluten and can be a cause of cross-contamination. And when you are washing dishes, a cloth or sponge can also hide gluten particles. Use new products to be safe!
Wines are considered gluten-free. If you have someone who has trouble with it, look for wineries that use only stainless tanks for their wines. It will remove the small chance that the barrels may be the cause of their challenges.
You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with a straight edge, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Julia's Simplified Beef Bourguignon Gluten Free
I have simplified Beef Bourguignon, making it easier to get this delicious, succulent, and sumptuous stew on the table. Beef Bourguignon (or Burgundy beef stew) is a French classic popularized in the United States by Julia Child. I’ve taken Julia’s recipe and streamlined it, making it easier for us to make over a weekend or even on a weekday if you will be home during the day.
Ingredients
Beef Bourguignon
- 3 lb (1.36kg) lean beef, such as London broil, sirloin, or boneless chuck roast cut into 2-inch cubes (excess fat discarded)
- 5 carrots, trimmed and sliced thickly
- 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend* See Note below
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (750 ml) bottle medium red wine such as burgundy, merlot, or pinot noir
- 3 cups (710 ml) rich beef stock
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 8 pieces thick-sliced bacon, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- 16 oz (454g) frozen pearl onions (no need to thaw)
Mushrooms
- 2 lb (907g) small cremini mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Accompaniments (optional but recommended)
- Mashed potatoes, cooked rice, or boiled gluten-free noodles
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnishing
Instructions
- Prepare the Ingredients: Cut the beef into cubes and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. Chop the carrots and onions; place in a bowl. In a small bowl, combine the flour with the salt and pepper. In a very large bowl, combine the wine, beef stock, and tomato paste. Whisk until smooth. Chop the bacon and prep the garlic and shallots.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and leave enough room for the big pot to fit.
- Make the Stew: Heat a large ovenproof Dutch oven or other heavy pot with
a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Cook the bacon until the fat has rendered. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. - Working with about 1/3 of the beef at a time, add to the bacon drippings in the pan and cook until browned on all sides, turning as needed with tongs. When browned, use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a large bowl. Repeat with half the remaining beef, cooking in two batches so that the beef gets browned and doesn’t steam.
- When all the beef is browned and has been placed in the large bowl, add the carrots and onions to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring regularly, about 3 minutes or until they have softened slightly. Add a little oil if needed. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the beef and bacon to the vegetables, and sprinkle with the seasoned flour, tossing to evenly distribute the flour. Cook, stirring often, 3 minutes.
- Add the wine/stock mixture to the beef. With a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom and sides of the pan, releasing the browned bits and adding their flavor to the stew. This is called deglazing the pan. Stir in the garlic, shallots, thyme, bay leaf and pearl onions, cover with a tight fitting lid and place in the hot oven.
- Cook the beef for 3 to 4 hours or until fork tender, stirring occasionally. When the meat is tender, remove from the oven and set on the stove, still covered, to rest while you make the mushrooms.
- Cook the Mushrooms: In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the quartered mushrooms and sauté for about 4 minutes or until they have given off their liquid, begun to brown, and are starting to become tender. Add the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook another 30 seconds or until the garlic is fragrant, stirring and being careful not to burn it. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the beef and vegetable stew, stirring to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.
- Serve the stew over mashed potatoes, cooked rice or boiled gluten-free noodles. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve hot.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
Even 2 tablespoons of regular flour can cause gastric distress and damage to those with Celiac disease or gluten-intolerance. Be sure to use a gluten-free flour blend, GF individual flour, or starch for thickening.
*You can adjust any recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup without a spout until mounded, level off the top with a straight edge, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela's, Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 677Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 901mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 5gSugar: 8gProtein: 39g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate.
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