SueBee’s Beef Bourguignon Recipe
This Beef Bourguignon Recipe is a cozy, classic comfort dish made with tender beef simmered in red wine, garlic, and herbs until rich and flavorful. It’s the perfect make-ahead meal for special occasions or a cozy night in!
Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon
Our good friends, Kerri and John, had us over for this show-stopping dish recently and so I thought I’d create my own version. Admittedly, this recipe is pretty classic and so I’m only sharing my technique here.
The ingredients in beef bourguignon recipes don’t vary too much but I think making it in advance (like a day or two in advance) is key. As it rests, the sauce thickens slightly, and the flavors from the wine, beef, bacon, and herbs meld together into something otherworldly.
Beef Bourguignon began in the heart of Burgundy, France — a region celebrated for its bold red wines and rich, hearty cooking. What started as a humble peasant dish was born out of necessity: slow-cooking tough cuts of beef with wine, herbs, and vegetables until they transformed into something tender and deeply flavorful.
Over time, this rustic stew was refined by French chefs and eventually made famous around the world by Julia Child, who introduced it to home cooks everywhere. Thank you Julia! Today, it remains the ultimate comfort food — a dish that feels both down-to-earth and a little bit elegant, no matter where it’s served.
It’s time to slip on our aprons and channel our inner Julia Child, friends!
Why This Recipe Works:
- Rich, deep flavor – Slow-simmered beef, red wine, and aromatics come together for the ultimate comfort dish.
- A classic made simple – All the elegance of French cuisine without being fussy.
- Perfect for entertaining – Feels fancy but can be made ahead, making it ideal for dinner parties or holidays.
- Pairs beautifully with sides – Serve it with mashed potatoes, noodles, or crusty bread to soak up every drop of sauce.
What You’ll Need:
- bacon – The rendered bacon fat helps sear the beef and vegetables, creating those delicious caramelized bits (fond) that build the stew’s rich flavor.
- chuck roast – Go with a three pound roast because you’re going to want leftovers!
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- veggies – including onion, carrots, garlic, and mushrooms
- tomato paste – Tomato paste is concentrated and rich, adding that deep savory note that enhances the beef’s flavor.
- all-purpose flour – The flour helps the sauce naturally thicken as it simmers.
- red wine – Pinot Noir (or Burgendy) is the traditional choice! Elegant and earthy, it matches the dish’s French roots perfectly.
- beef broth – You’ll need enough beef broth to cover the beef after adding the bottle of wine.
- fresh thyme and bay leaves
- butter – The butter is used to cook the mushrooms. These are added in the last step of the cooking process.
How to make Classic Beef Bourguignon:
Step 1
Prep. Arrange oven rack to lower third of the oven. Preheat to 325 degrees F.
Step 2
Prep veggies. Chop onion and carrot in large chunks. Mince garlic.
Step 3
Cook bacon. Chop bacon in large pieces. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and when hot, add the bacon. Cook until crispy and brown, stirring frequently. Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon from pot and transfer to a clean plate lined with paper towel. (Leave the grease in the pot.)
Step 4
Prep beef. Meanwhile, trim excess fat from the beef roast and cut into 2-inch cubes. Pat dry with paper towel and then add salt and pepper on all sides of the beef.
Step 5
Brown beef. Use the same stockpot to sear about half the beef at a time in the bacon grease, using a tongs to flip to all sides. You are not cooking the beef completely, just browning the outsides. Transfer beef to a clean plate and repeat with remaining beef.
Step 6
Sear veggies. Reduce heat to medium low heat and add the onions and carrots to the pot, stirring frequently for a few minutes. (If pot is dry, you should add a drizzle of olive oil.) Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Then add the tomato paste and stir to coat veggies, cooking for about 2-3 minutes.
Step 7
Add flour. Then add the flour and stir for about two more minutes, cooking until flour is fully absorbed – stirring constantly.
Step 8
Add red wine and remaining ingredients. Pour the wine into the pot and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Then add the seared beef, crispy bacon, fresh thyme, and bay leaves to the pot. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Add enough beef broth (1-2 cups) to cover the meat.
Step 9
Transfer pot to the oven. Place a lid on the Dutch oven and transfer pot to the preheated oven. Cook for approximately three hours or until beef is fall-apart tender. If beef isn’t super tender, place pot back in the oven and continue to cook.
If you are making this beef bourguignon recipe a day or two in advance, stop here. Let cool, place lid back on pot, and then store in the refrigerator overnight. Continue the next day by heating back up on stovetop over medium heat. When hot, continue with cooking mushrooms.
Step 10
Cook mushrooms. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add butter. When hot, add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Then add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir well. Cook until liquid is fully absorbed.
Step 11
Add mushrooms to the pot. Add the cooked mushrooms to the pot and stir to combine. Discard thyme stems and bay leaves and let the bourguignon rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Step 12
Serve. Serve beef bourguignon over creamy mashed potatoes, Cauliflower Potato Mash (our personal favorite), and/or sides of your choice.
Storing and Freezing:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Cool completely, then store in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat gently on the stove.
To cook this ahead of time:
- Cook it fully according to the recipe, then let it cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate it (covered) for up to 2–3 days — this resting time lets the flavors deepen and meld beautifully.
- When you’re ready to serve, reheat slowly on the stove over low heat until warmed through, adding a splash of broth or wine if the sauce has thickened too much.
Recipe FAQs:
Use a well-marbled cut like chuck roast — it becomes tender and flavorful after slow cooking.
Yes, red wine is 100% needed and gives the stew its deep, rich flavor. Choose a dry red like Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Burgundy (but nothing you wouldn’t drink!).
Absolutely — it actually tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together.
About three hours (or more), until the beef is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened beautifully.
It’s amazing over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or buttered baguette slices to soak up that luscious sauce.
Other Delicious Beef Roast Recipes:
Beef roast is my ultimate comfort food and it’s the meat I make after vacation, on a rainy day, or just because.
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Sue’s Beef Bourguignon Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz. thick-cut bacon
- 3 pounds chuck roast – cut into 2-inch cubes
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 1 large onion – chopped
- 4 large carrots – chopped
- 5 cloves garlic – minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 750 ml red wine
- 1-2 cups lower-sodium beef broth
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 24 oz. Bella or cremini mushrooms – chopped
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Prep. Arrange oven rack to lower third of the oven. Preheat to 325 degrees F.
- Prep veggies. Chop onion and carrot in large chunks. Mince garlic.
- Cook bacon. Chop bacon in large pieces. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and when hot, add the bacon. Cook until crispy and brown, stirring frequently. Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon from pot and transfer to a clean plate lined with paper towel. (Leave the grease in the pot.)8 oz. thick-cut bacon
- Prep beef. Meanwhile, trim excess fat from the beef roast and cut into 2-inch cubes. Pat dry with paper towel and then add salt and pepper on all sides of the beef.
- Brown beef. Use the same stockpot to sear about half the beef at a time in the bacon grease, using a tongs to flip to all sides. You are not cooking the beef completely, just browning the outsides. Transfer beef to a clean plate and repeat with remaining beef.3 pounds chuck roast, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Sear veggies. Reduce heat to medium low heat and add the onions and carrots to the pot, stirring frequently for a few minutes. (If pot is dry, you should add a drizzle of olive oil.) Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Then add the tomato paste and stir to coat veggies, cooking for about 2-3 minutes.1 large onion, 4 large carrots, 5 cloves garlic, 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- Add flour. Then add the flour and stir for about two more minutes, cooking until flour is fully absorbed – stirring constantly.1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Add red wine and remaining ingredients. Pour the wine into the pot and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Then add the seared beef, crispy bacon, fresh thyme, and bay leaves to the pot. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Add enough beef broth to cover the meat.750 ml red wine , 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, 3 bay leaves, 1-2 cups lower-sodium beef broth
- Transfer pot to the oven. Place a lid on the Dutch oven and transfer pot to the preheated oven. Cook for approximately three hours or until beef is fall-apart tender. If beef isn’t super tender, place pot back in the oven and continue to cook.
- NOTE: If you are making this beef bourguignon recipe a day or two in advance, stop here. Let cool, place lid back on pot, and then store in the refrigerator overnight. Continue the next day by heating back up on stovetop over medium heat. When hot, continue with cooking mushrooms.**We like it best when made in advance as the flavors get better and better.
- Cook mushrooms. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add butter. When hot, add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Then add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir well. Cook until liquid is fully absorbed.24 oz. Bella or cremini mushrooms, 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add mushrooms to the pot. Add the cooked mushrooms to the pot and stir to combine. Discard thyme stems and bay leaves and let the bourguignon rest for 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve. Serve beef bourguignon over creamy mashed potatoes, Cauliflower Potato Mash (our personal favorite), and/or sides of your choice.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Cool completely, then store in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat gently on the stove.
To make this ahead of time:
- Cook it fully according to the recipe, then let it cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate it (covered) for up to 2–3 days — this resting time lets the flavors deepen and meld beautifully.
- When you’re ready to serve, reheat slowly on the stove over low heat until warmed through, adding a splash of broth or wine if the sauce has thickened too much.
I like the idea of doing it ahead of time! Especially if you are juggling other tasks at the same time AND the flavors get better! That’s a win-win! Yum!
Agreed! Thanks for the inspiration Kerri!
SUEBEE does it again! This beef bourguignon rivals Julia’s!
Haha yay!