Beef bourguignon
195 min · 48 g protein · 397 cals / serving
The great French winter stew: chunks of beef braised slowly in red wine with garlic and thyme until they fall apart at a touch, with a little smoky bacon, browned mushrooms and whole sweet shallots in a glossy, dark sauce. This version uses lean shin and plenty of vegetables, and loses none of the depth.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 lb beef shank, boneless beef shin (shank) or lean chuck, trimmed, in 5 cm (2-inch) chunks; weighed raw (about 700 g once braised)
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 oz raw lean bacon, diced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 large carrots, in thick slices
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp red wine, a dry, fruity red such as Pinot Noir
- 2 3/4 cups beef broth, low-sodium
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 leaves bay leaf
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 1/4 lb crimini mushroom, halved or quartered
- 10 small shallots, peeled, left whole
To serve
- a small handful fresh parsley, chopped
Steps
- Heat the oven to 325°F. Pat the beef dry and season with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat and brown the beef well on all sides in two batches, 4–5 minutes a batch, setting it aside as it browns.
- Lower the heat to medium, add the bacon and cook for 2 minutes, then add the onion and carrot and cook for 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the garlic for the last minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook for a minute. Pour in the wine, scraping the bottom of the pot, then the broth. Return the beef and its juices, tuck in the thyme and bay leaves and bring to a simmer.
- Cover and braise in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, until the beef is very tender.
- About 30 minutes before the end, melt the butter in a frying pan over high heat and brown the mushrooms and shallots for 8–10 minutes, until golden. Stir them into the stew for the last 20 minutes in the oven.
- Remove the thyme stalks and bay leaves. If the sauce is thin, simmer it uncovered on the stove for a few minutes until it coats a spoon. Taste for salt and serve scattered with parsley.
Good to know
What do I serve it with?
Mashed potatoes or a pile of steamed green beans are traditional; a mash made half with cauliflower soaks up the sauce just as well.
Does it get better the next day?
Yes. Cool it, chill it overnight and lift off any fat that has set on top before reheating gently. It freezes well for 3 months.
Can I make it without wine?
Use extra beef broth with 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar and 1 teaspoon of tomato paste stirred in. It is less deep but still a very good beef stew, at about the same score.
Slow cooker?
Brown everything as in steps 1–3, then cook on low for 8 hours. Brown the mushrooms and shallots separately and add them for the last 30 minutes.
Alternatives
Per
- Calories
- 101
- Protein
- (51%)
- 12 g
- Fat
- (26%)
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- (23%)
- 6 g
- of which sugar
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 290 mg
About 5% of the alcohol remains after cooking; the label counts only that.
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 2383 kcal goes into the pot and 3104 g of ingredients comes out as about 2350 g of food: 101 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.