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Overhead shot of beef bourguignon stew with tender carrots and parsnips in a glossy red wine sauce, garnished with parsley

Slow-Braised Beef Bourguignon with Root Vegetables

Beef chuck braised in red wine with bacon, carrots, parsnips, pearl onions, and mushrooms until fork-tender.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: French
Calories: 743
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Beef and Braise
  • 1000 g beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch / 5 cm cubes / 2.2 lb
  • 1.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 120 g bacon, diced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil for browning
  • 1 yellow onion, diced medium (150 g)
  • 3 carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks large (250 g)
  • 2 parsnips, cut into 1-inch chunks medium (200 g)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour or cornstarch for gluten-free
  • 750 ml red wine, Burgundy or Pinot Noir
  • 500 ml beef stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
For the Finish
  • 250 g pearl onions, peeled fresh or frozen
  • 250 g button mushrooms, quartered
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Method
 

Brown the Beef and Bacon
  1. Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat olive oil in a 6-quart / 5.7 L Dutch oven over medium-high. Cook the bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  3. Brown the beef in 2 to 3 batches in the bacon fat, about 3 to 4 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms. Don't crowd the pot or the meat will steam instead of sear. Transfer each batch to a plate.
Build the Braise
  1. Add the onion, carrots, and parsnips to the pot and cook 5 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens.
  2. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir 1 minute to coat everything evenly.
  4. Pour in the red wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer, then add the beef stock, browned beef, bacon, bay leaves, and thyme.
Braise and Finish
  1. Cover the pot and transfer to a 163 C / 325 F oven. Braise for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and pulls apart easily, an internal temperature of about 195 F / 90 C.
  2. About 20 minutes before the stew is done, melt the butter in a 10-inch / 25 cm skillet over medium heat and cook the pearl onions and mushrooms until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
  3. Stir the mushrooms and pearl onions into the finished stew. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
  4. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

Notes

  • Brown beef in 2 to 3 batches to avoid steaming it
  • Braise low and slow at 163 C / 325 F, don't rush it
  • Sauce thickens further as it cools, thin with stock if needed
  • Add pearl onions and mushrooms near the end so they don't turn mushy