French · Beef
Beef Bourguignon
The ultimate French beef stew featuring tender beef braised in red wine with bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions. This classic Burgundian dish is served with celeriac mash and represents the pinnacle of rustic French cooking.
The Method
Instructions
Alright, let's get started by heating up a large casserole pan on your stove. Once it's nice and warm, add about 1 tablespoon of goose fat . This will give our beef that lovely rich flavour and help it brown beautifully. Now, take your seasoned beef and carefully place it in the pan. Let it fry undisturbed for around 3 to 5 minutes until it turns a gorgeous golden brown. Then, flip it over and do the same on the other side, making sure every piece of meat gets that lovely sear. You might need to add a little more fat if the pan looks dry, so don't be shy. It's best to do this in 2 to 3 batches so the meat doesn't steam and browns properly. Once each batch is perfectly browned, transfer the meat to a colander set over a bowl so any excess juices can drain off.
With the beef out of the way, it's time to build those deep flavours that make Beef Bourguignon so special. Using that same pan, toss in your bacon, shallots or pearl onions, mushrooms, garlic cloves, and the bouquet garni. Fry everything gently until it's all just starting to take on a lovely light brown colour and smells absolutely incredible. Then, stir in the tomato purée. Cook this mixture for a few minutes, making sure to stir so everything melds together nicely. This step really enriches the base of the stew and adds a lovely depth of flavour. Now, pop your browned beef back into the pan along with any juices that have collected, and give everything a good stir to combine.
Next, pour in the red wine and about 100 millilitres of water . The goal is to have the meat just bobbing up from the liquid, but not completely submerged. This helps the beef stay tender while cooking. Turn the heat up and bring it all to a gentle boil. Use a spoon to scrape up any caramelised bits stuck to the bottom of the pan; those little bits are packed with flavour and will add so much richness to your stew.
Preheat your oven to 150 degrees Celsius (or fan 130 degrees , gas mark 2). Now, here's a neat trick: make a cartouche by tearing off a square of foil that's slightly larger than your casserole pot. Lay it gently over the top of the stew, trimming any extra foil so it fits snugly. This keeps the moisture in and helps everything cook evenly. Slip the whole thing into the oven and let it cook for a good 3 hours . You'll know it's done when the beef is melt in your mouth tender and the sauce smells divine.
If, when you take it out, the sauce seems a bit watery, don't worry! Just remove the beef and vegetables with a slotted spoon and set them aside for a moment. Crank the heat up on the stove and boil the sauce for a few minutes until it thickens up nicely. Then, return the beef and veggies back into the pan and give everything a gentle stir.
Now, let's turn to that lovely celeriac mash that goes perfectly with our stew. Start by peeling the celeriac and cutting it into bite sized cubes. Get a large frying pan heated up with a splash of olive oil, then toss the celeriac cubes in. Fry them for about 5 minutes until they start turning golden and smelling wonderfully nutty. Season them generously with salt and pepper , don't be shy here, seasoning really brings out the flavour.
Stir in the rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, and cardamom pods. These herbs and spices will infuse the celeriac with lovely aromatic notes that complement the stew beautifully. Pour in about 200 millilitres of water , just enough to nearly cover the celeriac. Turn the heat down to low and partially cover the pan with a lid. Leave this to simmer gently for around 25 to 30 minutes . You'll want to check that the celeriac is tender by poking it with a fork; it should go through easily.
Once the celeriac is soft and most of the water has evaporated, drain off any leftover liquid. Remove the herb sprigs, bay leaf, and cardamom pods , we don't want any surprises when mashing! Lightly crush the celeriac with a potato masher until it's a lovely rustic mash. Finish by stirring in a generous glug of olive oil to give it a silky texture. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
To serve, ladle the rich, comforting beef bourguignon into your bowls, then crown it with a big spoonful of that creamy celeriac mash. For an extra touch, pop a bay leaf on top as a beautiful garnish. There you have it , a cozy, deeply flavoured dish that's sure to impress anyone lucky enough to share it with you. Enjoy every delicious bite!
With the beef out of the way, it's time to build those deep flavours that make Beef Bourguignon so special. Using that same pan, toss in your bacon, shallots or pearl onions, mushrooms, garlic cloves, and the bouquet garni. Fry everything gently until it's all just starting to take on a lovely light brown colour and smells absolutely incredible. Then, stir in the tomato purée. Cook this mixture for a few minutes, making sure to stir so everything melds together nicely. This step really enriches the base of the stew and adds a lovely depth of flavour. Now, pop your browned beef back into the pan along with any juices that have collected, and give everything a good stir to combine.
Next, pour in the red wine and about 100 millilitres of water . The goal is to have the meat just bobbing up from the liquid, but not completely submerged. This helps the beef stay tender while cooking. Turn the heat up and bring it all to a gentle boil. Use a spoon to scrape up any caramelised bits stuck to the bottom of the pan; those little bits are packed with flavour and will add so much richness to your stew.
Preheat your oven to 150 degrees Celsius (or fan 130 degrees , gas mark 2). Now, here's a neat trick: make a cartouche by tearing off a square of foil that's slightly larger than your casserole pot. Lay it gently over the top of the stew, trimming any extra foil so it fits snugly. This keeps the moisture in and helps everything cook evenly. Slip the whole thing into the oven and let it cook for a good 3 hours . You'll know it's done when the beef is melt in your mouth tender and the sauce smells divine.
If, when you take it out, the sauce seems a bit watery, don't worry! Just remove the beef and vegetables with a slotted spoon and set them aside for a moment. Crank the heat up on the stove and boil the sauce for a few minutes until it thickens up nicely. Then, return the beef and veggies back into the pan and give everything a gentle stir.
Now, let's turn to that lovely celeriac mash that goes perfectly with our stew. Start by peeling the celeriac and cutting it into bite sized cubes. Get a large frying pan heated up with a splash of olive oil, then toss the celeriac cubes in. Fry them for about 5 minutes until they start turning golden and smelling wonderfully nutty. Season them generously with salt and pepper , don't be shy here, seasoning really brings out the flavour.
Stir in the rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, and cardamom pods. These herbs and spices will infuse the celeriac with lovely aromatic notes that complement the stew beautifully. Pour in about 200 millilitres of water , just enough to nearly cover the celeriac. Turn the heat down to low and partially cover the pan with a lid. Leave this to simmer gently for around 25 to 30 minutes . You'll want to check that the celeriac is tender by poking it with a fork; it should go through easily.
Once the celeriac is soft and most of the water has evaporated, drain off any leftover liquid. Remove the herb sprigs, bay leaf, and cardamom pods , we don't want any surprises when mashing! Lightly crush the celeriac with a potato masher until it's a lovely rustic mash. Finish by stirring in a generous glug of olive oil to give it a silky texture. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
To serve, ladle the rich, comforting beef bourguignon into your bowls, then crown it with a big spoonful of that creamy celeriac mash. For an extra touch, pop a bay leaf on top as a beautiful garnish. There you have it , a cozy, deeply flavoured dish that's sure to impress anyone lucky enough to share it with you. Enjoy every delicious bite!
Pairs Well With
