Boeuf Bourguignon

Introduction

Boeuf Bourguignon is the definitive French comfort dish from Burgundy — beef slowly braised in red wine with mushrooms, pearl onions, and herbs until meltingly tender.

Ingredients

• 1kg beef chuck, cut into large cubes
• 200g mushrooms, halved
• 200g pearl onions or small shallots
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 500ml beef stock
• Fresh thyme and bay leaves
• Salt and black pepper

Steps

1. 1. Season beef with salt and pepper. Sear in batches in a hot Dutch oven until deeply browned on all sides. Set aside.
2. 2. In the same pot, sauté pearl onions and carrots for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook 2 more minutes.
3. 3. Pour in beef stock. Add thyme and bay leaves. Return beef to the pot.
4. 4. Cover and braise in a 160°C oven or on low heat for 2.5–3 hours until fork-tender.
5. 5. Sauté mushrooms separately in butter and stir in during the last 15 minutes.

Tips

This dish tastes even better the next day — make it ahead and reheat gently. The flavours deepen overnight.