For more classic French stew recipes, check out our Coq au Vin Blanc or Chicken Chasseur. I used to work with a lot of French youth, which gave me a lot of opportunities to get their informed opinions about recipes to share. They were always adamant that Beef Bourguignon is a recipe that needed to find space on this site! One taste will tell you why they are so passionate about this classic dish. The combination of tender beef and vegetables with herbs in a rich wine sauce is inspired! Developing my own version of a beef bourguignon recipe was quite easy as it is basically a beef version of my very popular classic coq au vin. It has since become a huge favourite, easy to cook but unbelievably delicious!
Ingredients
There are many recipes out there and I am sharing my take on this French classic, something that works for me. I would encourage you to follow this recipe but also to make necessary adjustments to suit your family’s tastes. For example, many beef bourguignon recipes include pearl onions. The truth is that eating a whole onion, no matter how small, would never fly with my kids so I omitted them. Mushrooms are also a permanent fixture in most beef bourguignon recipes but also got cut! Although I am a mushroom lover, they are not! My point is add or remove anything you like or don’t like. As with many traditional stew recipes, the origin for this one is the need to tenderise otherwise tough cuts of meat. The time spent cooking will go a long way in transforming a cheap cut into something special. This means you can save a bit of money on the meat without sacrificing the end product. I used rump roasting joint cut that I cut into 2 inch or 5cm pieces, but chuck, shin or brisket will also work.
What wine to use
When trying to choose which wine to use when cooking a meal, a good rule of thumb is to pick one that you’d want to drink with the same meal. For a hearty beef stew, I would always choose a big, bold, dry red wine. The wine that this flavourful stew is cooked in is traditionally Burgundy, the wine from the same region of France as this dish. Definitely a good choice but it might not be readily available where you live. Fortunately there are a lot to choose from, and a and full-bodied wine like Shiraz, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon will be a good choice for this dish. It should be a decent drinking wine but don’t break the bank on it!
Serving suggestions
Mashed potatoes is my number one choice when it comes to beef bourguignon. The potatoes are perfect for absorbing all the amazing flavourful juices. Also lemon garlic greens beans and a slice of thick sourdough bread go extremely well with this flavourful beef stew.
Storage and leftovers
Beef bourguignon is just as good a day or two later. In fact, it may even get better as flavours have the chance to meld and become more vibrant with time. Choose an airtight container and keep it refrigerated for up to five days. I love having a few meals ready to go in my freezer for when time is short, and this stew is a great option. It can be frozen for up to three months. Leftovers can be warmed up in a microwave, but the best way is using a saucepan over medium heat. If it is looking too thick, add a splash of water to loosen it up.
More classic French recipes
Coq au vin Chicken Provencal French Chicken Casserole a la Normande Chicken in Wine and Mustard Sauce
