Beef Bourguignon with Bacon, Mushrooms and Pearl Onions
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Bacon, red wine and a low oven for the whole afternoon. By the second hour your uncle has wandered in twice to ask if it's ready. It isn't, and it's even better tomorrow.
The short version
Brown bacon and dried-off beef chuck in batches, cook the flour and tomato paste into the vegetables, add red wine and stock, and braise covered at 300°F for 2 to 2½ hours. Brown mushrooms and pearl onions separately and stir them in at the end. Better the next day.
What makes ours better
the tricks Nonna pretends she never taught me
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Brown the beef in batches, on dry meat. Wet or crowded beef steams and turns gray. Dry cubes in a hot pot build the dark crust that becomes the flavor of the sauce.
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Cook the tomato paste and flour in the pot before the wine. A minute of heat takes the raw edge off both. You get a sauce with body and a savory depth, with no last-minute thickening.
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Brown the mushrooms and pearl onions separately. Added raw to the pot they go gray and soft. Browned in butter first, they stay distinct and sweet, and they go in for the last few minutes only.
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Make it a day ahead if you can. The stew settles overnight, the fat lifts off cold in one piece, and the flavors meld. Reheat gently and it tastes like you fussed.
What you need
the cast, in order of appearance
- Thick-cut bacon4 ounces
- Boneless beef chuck3 pounds
- Carrots2 large
- Yellow onion1 large
- Tomato paste1 tablespoon
- Dry red wine3 cups
- Fresh thyme3 sprigs
- Cremini mushrooms8 ounces
The stew
The finish
yes, all of the butter
Steps
nobody opens the oven door. looking at you, Dad.
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Heat the oven, render the bacon
Set a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat it to 300°F. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until browned and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Lift it out with a slotted spoon to a plate and leave the fat in the pot.
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Brown the beef in batches
Season the dry beef with the salt and pepper. Turn the heat to medium-high. Brown the cubes in 3 or 4 batches, leaving space between them and not moving them for 2 to 3 minutes, until a deep brown crust forms on at least two sides. Move each batch to the plate with the bacon. Add a spoonful of oil if the pot looks dry.
If the bottom of the pot is turning black rather than brown, lower the heat and splash in a spoonful of water to loosen it.
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Build the base
Lower the heat to medium. Cook the carrots and diced onion in the pot, scraping up the browned bits, until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute, until the paste darkens. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute more.
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Add the wine and bring to a simmer
Pour in the wine and stock a little at a time, stirring and scraping the bottom as the sauce loosens. Return the beef and bacon with any juices to the pot and tuck in the thyme and bay leaves. The liquid should come almost to the top of the meat; add a splash of water if it doesn't. Bring to a simmer.
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Braise in the oven
Cover the pot and braise in the oven until the beef is fork-tender and a cube pulls apart with little pressure, 2 to 2½ hours. Stir once after the first hour. The sauce should be glossy and slightly thickened.
If the beef is still firm at 2½ hours, it isn't done. Put it back in for another 20 minutes. Tough beef just needs more time.
About 120 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Brown the mushrooms and onions
About 20 minutes before the stew is done, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the pearl onions, stirring now and then, until browned in spots, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until they release their juices and turn golden, another 6 to 8 minutes. Season lightly with salt.
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Finish and serve
Take the stew out of the oven and pull out the thyme stems and bay leaves. Spoon off any fat floating on top. Stir in the mushrooms, onions and parsley and let it sit for 5 minutes. Taste and add salt if needed. Serve with crusty bread, buttered noodles or mashed potatoes.
Good to know
read this before somebody asks for seconds
- Chuck is the right cut. Lean cuts like round turn dry and stringy in a long braise. Ask for a roast and cut it yourself so the pieces are even.
- Use a wine you would drink with dinner. Skip anything labeled cooking wine, which is salty. A bottle covers it, with a little left for the cook.
- For a thicker sauce, take the beef out after braising, simmer the liquid on the stove for 10 minutes, then return the meat. For a deeper, more traditional flavor, marinate the beef in the wine and vegetables overnight in the fridge, then drain and dry it before browning.
- Storage. Fridge, 4 days; it improves on day two. Freezer, 3 months, without the mushrooms and onions. Reheat gently on the stove or at 300°F, covered, and add a splash of stock or water if the sauce has tightened.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
What cut of beef is best for beef bourguignon?
Beef chuck. It has the connective tissue that melts into the sauce during a long braise. Brisket or bottom round work, but chuck is the most forgiving.
What wine should I use?
A dry, medium-bodied red you would happily drink, such as pinot noir, Beaujolais or a Côtes du Rhône. Avoid very oaky or very tannic wines, which turn bitter when cooked down.
Can I make beef bourguignon without wine?
You can swap in extra beef stock plus 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, but you lose the character of the dish. It will taste like a good beef stew rather than bourguignon.
Why is my beef tough?
It needs more time. Chuck goes through a tough stage before it relaxes into tender. Keep the heat low, keep the pot covered, and check again after 20 more minutes.
Can I make it in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the bacon and beef and build the base on the stove, then move everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Add the browned mushrooms and onions at the end.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes, and you should. Make it up to 2 days ahead, chill it, lift off the fat, and reheat gently. Add the mushrooms and onions when you reheat so they stay firm.
From the table
Made it? Tell me everything. Especially if somebody said it was better than their mother’s. I’ll keep your secret.
Made it?
be honest. I can take it. probably.
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Published October 29, 2026.