Beef bourguignon Perfect French traditional recipe made easy

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The Beef bourguignon or Bœuf Bourgignon, as we call it in French, is a slow cooked in red wine beef stew, a great classic of French cuisine.

In this article I am giving you the traditional recipe with a little background to tell you the history of this dish.
I will also teach you how to obtain a very tender meat with a delicious sauce, guide you to choose the perfect meat cuts, tell you if you should marinate meat or not and explain in detail all the steps.

Origin and history of beef bourguignon

The date of creation of the beef bourguignon is not known, however we know it appeared in France in the second half of the 19th century. Old books of Burgundian cooking recipes do not mention the use of red wine in cooking; its first appearances in Burgundy local recipes date back to 1860.

Boeuf bourguignon is a slow cooked beef stew, that is cooked for a long time, it is a cooking method developed by Pierre de Lune, kitchen squire of the late Duke of Rohan, in 1656 (according to the book in “the cook” where they discuss the true method for preparing all kinds of meat, poultry, fish, both salt and freshwater, according to the four Seasons of the Year).

With its origins as a typical and regional dish from Burgundian cuisine presiding over the peasants’ table on festive days, beef bourguignon has become in France a very widely cooked Sunday dish, from home cooking to starred restaurants, traditional dishes to revisited unstructured proposals, even adding orange zest or a bar of chocolate… Succeeding in making low-cost cuts of meat an emblematic dish.

Today it is one of the French favorite dishes, it is also the most recognized and representative dish of French cuisine to the rest of the world alongside the onion soup and the legendary quiche lorraine all french people cook regularly. It must be said that Julia Child largely contributed to this international fame by cooking this dish in one of the first television shows,
The French Chef explained that this dish is an opportunity to discover and master some French cooking techniques: milling the meat, sauté the mushrooms…

Beef Bourguignon brings together two emblematic products of the Burgundian region: cattle breeding with Charolais meat, and red wine from Burgundy, Pinot noir.

The word ‘à la bourguignonne’ is a generic term for a dish made and cooked with red wine, usually also garnished with mushrooms, onions and bacon, as well as a bouquet garni (a bundle of herbs usually tied with string).
The definition of a dish ‘à la bourguignonne’ is therefore a dish made with red wine. Before immediately thinking of beef, different preparations were made like this: with eggs for example (œufs en meurette which are poached eggs in red wine sauce).

The meat is marinated or not in red wine. Ideally using a wine from Burgundy, if that is not the case make sure to use a good quality wine, fruity but with body. Originally, Marc de Bourgogne was also added to the dish.
The temperature of the sauce is lowered and bound by adding a little bit of flour (the culinary term for this is singer), this thickens the sauce and lets it obtain a very creamy and dense brownish sauce.

As with many regional or traditional recipes, there are many recipes made by different cooks or chefs with their own touch to the recipe. However, some main principles or advice can be seen to succeed in making beef bourguignon.

Which cuts of meat to choose for beef bourguignon?

Shoulder, chuck, neck, cheek, topside cuts, if possible from Charolais beef.

Some pieces are considered a little too fatty but it is the collagen of the meat and its somewhat firm texture which when cooked will transform into gelatin and give a smooth texture, also amplifying the creaminess of the sauce.
The pieces of meat from the lower ribs and collar, on the other hand, are too fatty for a good beef bourguignon. For my part, I have a preference for shoulder cuts and topside cuts, sometimes I mix the two together.

The cooking is what will be decisive and will ensure that your beef bourguignon will be soft and tender. You need to cook for a long time but over low heat. Whatever variation of the recipe you choose, the low cooking temperature is really the key to ensuring that the meat is not tough.
The cooking time is long, but necessary. This dish can be reheated so don’t hesitate to prepare it in advance.

Marinate or not?

Yes you can marinate but not for too long because contrary to what has always been thought, marinating the meat tends to tighten the flesh and toughen the meat. We just want to perfume it. You can optionally flambé the wine that will be used when marinating the meat to reduce the alcohol level if you wish.

It is important to dry the meat well with absorbent paper before braising it over high heat, make sure that the pieces are not too tightly packed together.

The main steps

Marinate the meat

This first step is optional, the aim is to perfume the meat and give it some taste without making the meat tough. If you choose to marinate your meat make sure to use a good red wine and to not leave it in the marinade for to long. Here I marinated my meat in the red wine for 2 hours. If you leave it for too long contrary to belief it will affect the meats cooking and your meat will not be as tender as you would like it to be.

You can also choose to flambé your red wine before marinating the meat in it, it will make the alcohol softer and less aggressive on the meat.

Marinate your meat in red wine for two hours before cooking

Start cooking you meat

Remove the meat from your marinade, be sure to not throw it away you will be using the marinade again later in the recipe!
In a casserole add a bit of butter or oil, the add your meat in the casserole. Sear the meat on all sides for a total of about 5 minutes then add 1-2 tablespoons of flour and mix (this is called stinging), sear for a few minutes and remove the meat.

Whilst the meat is being seared prepare your ingredients, cut up your carrots, mushrooms, onions and bacon. Using the same casserole for the meat sear the carrots and onions for about 5 minutes.

Now add your meat back into the casserole with you vegetables, pour the marinade you used earlier into the casserole, lower the heat and let it cook slowly for 2h30 hours.

Preparing your ingredients for your beef bourgignon

Finish cooking

After about 2h30 of cooking, boil a liter of water in a pan. Once the water comes to a boil add your bacon for no more than a minute, drain the water and let the bacon cook a little long. Separately cook your bacon, mushrooms and onions.

Once the meat is cooked, remove it from the casserole temporarily. Using a blender, blend the juice and veggies already in casserole together. Once you are happy with the creamy texture of your sauce add the meat back in. Lastly, add in your previously cooked bacon, mushrooms and onions.