
Experience the ultimate comfort food with this authentic Beef Bourguignon. Tender chunks of beef are slow-cooked in a rich red wine sauce with smoky bacon, earthy mushrooms, and sweet pearl onions for a deeply flavorful meal.
In a large bowl, combine 1.6kg of braising steak chunks with 3 bay leaves, a small bunch of thyme, 2 bottles of red wine, and a generous pinch of black pepper. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight to tenderize the meat and infuse flavor.
When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/Gas 6).
Set a colander over a large bowl and strain the marinated meat, making sure to reserve all of the wine for the cooking process.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan. Brown the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding, transferring the browned pieces to a plate. Once all the meat is done, pour a splash of the reserved wine into the empty pan and scrape up the caramelized bits from the bottom.
In a large ovenproof casserole dish, heat another tablespoon of oil. Sauté the carrots and chopped onions until they begin to take on some color. Stir in 3 tablespoons of plain flour and cook for 1 minute, then add 1 tablespoon of tomato purée.
Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the casserole dish. Pour in the wine from the frying pan along with the remaining reserved wine and herbs. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a gentle simmer, and stir well.
Cover the dish and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 2 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender. If preparing ahead, let it cool; this stew freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
Before serving, heat a small knob of butter in a frying pan. Add 300g of bacon lardons and 500g of pearl onions or shallots. Sauté for about 10 minutes until the bacon is crispy and the onions are soft and golden.
Add 400g of halved mushrooms to the frying pan and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Stir the bacon, onion, and mushroom mixture into the main beef stew and heat everything together for 10 more minutes.
Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve hot, ideally with mashed potatoes or crusty bread.
For the best results, use a full-bodied red wine like a Burgundy, Pinot Noir, or Cabernet Sauvignon. This dish actually tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop in the fridge. If the sauce is too thin after baking, you can simmer it on the stovetop for a few minutes to reduce and thicken it before adding the garnish.





