Boeuf (beef) bourguignon
Bœuf bourguignon is a traditional recipe of French cuisine (bourguignon means from Burgundy). It's chunks of meat cooked slowly with bacon, onions, carrots and mushrooms in red wine.
4 hours 20 min.
Easy
18 people
13 IngredientsLast modified on: February 21th 2011
For 18 people, you will need:
10 cups beef
3 cups + 3 tablespoons smoked pork belly (or thick cut streaky bacon)
3 
9 tablespoons 
3 tablespoons 
9 ½ cups red wine
3 
9 
12 2⁄3 cups 
8 cups 
3 tablespoons 
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 1 hour 5 min.
Cooking: 3 hours 15 min.
All in all: 4 hours 20 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 15 min.
Cut 10 cups beef in pieces, remove and dispose everything that is not good meat (skin, strong parts), it's the main secret of boeuf bourgignon: a perfect meat at the beginning.
Stage 2 - 5 min.
Cut 3 cups + 3 tablespoons smoked pork belly (or thick cut streaky bacon) in small pieces.
Stage 4 - 2 min.
In a big pan on medium fire, pour 9 tablespoons oil, when hot add grinded onion and bacon, mix well, pepper and some salt.
Stage 5 - 4 min.
Make cook for about 3 or 4 minutes, then remove pan from fire and with a skimmer put mixture in a plate, leave only some fat in the pan.
Stage 6 - 1 min.
Put back pan on lively fire, add meat pieces...
Stage 7 - 8 min.
...and make brown on each sides.
Stage 8 - 1 min.
Stage 9 - 2 min.
Add onion mix, stir again.
Stage 10 - 1 min.
Add 9 ½ cups red wine.
Stage 11 - 30 min.
Stir well, scratch bottom pan to deglaze, then add 3 bouquets garni, salt and pepper.
Reduce fire to slow, and let cook for 30 minutes.
If you get foam on top during this time, skim it and dispose.
Reduce fire to slow, and let cook for 30 minutes.
If you get foam on top during this time, skim it and dispose.
Stage 12 - 5 min.
During this time, peel, wash and cut 9 carrots in pieces.
Stage 13 - 2 hours
Add them in the pan, and let cook uncovered for at least 2 hours.
Stage 14 - 25 min.
During this time, peel, wash and make cook 12 2⁄3 cups potatoes in water.
Stage 15 - 10 min.
During this time, peel and slice 8 cups mushrooms.
Stage 16 - 1 min.
Add mushrooms in the pan about 30 minutes before serving.
Stage 17 - 5 min.
You can brown potatoes in a frying pan with 1 tbs of oil, not absolutely needed, but in my opinion much better.
Stage 18 - 5 min.
Preparing sauce:
Put everything solid from pan in a strainer on another pan.
Dispose bouquet garni.
Your goal is to have have only liquid part in the pan, and all solid part in another.
Put everything solid from pan in a strainer on another pan.
Dispose bouquet garni.
Your goal is to have have only liquid part in the pan, and all solid part in another.
Stage 19 - 5 min.
Put back pan with liquid on medium fire, when boiling add 3 tablespoons cornflour mixed with some cold water.
Whip strongly to thicken sauce, then taste to check seasoning.
Whip strongly to thicken sauce, then taste to check seasoning.
Stage 20 - 10 min.
Put back meat and vegetables in the smooth and tasty sauce, slow fire, and let stay until service time.
Stage 21
Heat plates and serve with potatoes.
Remarks
Bœuf Bourguignon is one of those dishes that get better each time they are reheated, so don't hesitate to make a lot in one go and then reheat it several times.
For the wine, it should be ideally a red Burgundy made from pinot noir grapes, but if you can't get one from this area at a reasonable price, try to get another pinot noir if possible.
If you have a good butcher, ask his advice about suitable cuts of beef for bourguignon, otherwise remember you don't need an expensive cut like steak, but preferably a cheaper cut suited to long slow cooking (such as stewing steak).
Years ago it was usual to thicken the sauce with a "roux" (mix of cooked butter and flour), it's efficient but unfortunately it dulls the flavour of the sauce. Bernard Loiseau the famous French chef, in his day, suggested replacing the roux with a little carrot purée, but cornflour also works well.
For the wine, it should be ideally a red Burgundy made from pinot noir grapes, but if you can't get one from this area at a reasonable price, try to get another pinot noir if possible.
If you have a good butcher, ask his advice about suitable cuts of beef for bourguignon, otherwise remember you don't need an expensive cut like steak, but preferably a cheaper cut suited to long slow cooking (such as stewing steak).
Years ago it was usual to thicken the sauce with a "roux" (mix of cooked butter and flour), it's efficient but unfortunately it dulls the flavour of the sauce. Bernard Loiseau the famous French chef, in his day, suggested replacing the roux with a little carrot purée, but cornflour also works well.
And to drink?
The same wine you use in the recipe, ideally a bourgogne pinot noir.
Keeping: Several days in the fridge, in a closed jar.
Source: Home made, after Ginette Mathiot.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 640 RDI=250 % | 860 RDI=80 % | 810 RDI=120 % | 15,160 RDI=760 % | 63,450 RDI: 760 % |
| Per 100 g | 5 RDI=2 % | 7 RDI=1 % | 7 RDI=1 % | 130 RDI=7 % | 550 RDI: 7 % |
| Per person | 40 RDI=10 % | 50 RDI=4 % | 40 RDI=7 % | 840 RDI=40 % | 3,530 RDI: 40 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 18 people : 48.85 €
- Per person : 2.75 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Potatoes
Like these other recipes: Pork roast with herbs, Creamy "terre et mer" pots, Ramekins of duchess potatoes, Hotpot my grandmother's way , Cauliflower "moelleux" in ramekins, ... See them all 82
Beef
Like these other recipes: How to slow cook meat, Upside-down Parmentier, Melt-in-the mouth meat and vegetables in a sealed casserole, Home-made doner kebab, Two-stage beef chuck , ... See them all 10
Red wine
Like these other recipes: Two-stage beef chuck , How to slow cook meat, Winemaker's toast, Tenderloin steaks marinated in red wine with rosemary, Coq au vin, ... See them all 19
Smoked pork belly (or thick cut streaky bacon)
Like these other recipes: Soup Cornouaillaise, Mornay onion tart, Express sauerkraut, Warm lentil salad, Dandelion salad, ... See them all 5
Other recipes you may also like
Flognarde
Flognarde is a dessert that originated in France's Limousin region. The recipe is very simple: a vanilla-flavoured egg custard, thickened with flour, and sometimes made with seasonal fruit (apples, cherries, pears...). This is a very old recipe that has come down to us virtually unchanged since...December 30th 201987 K4 50 min.
Green hummus
You are probably already familiar with classic hummus. Here's a "green" version, still mainly chickpeas, but with added herbs and vegetables.November 29th 202036 K 20 min.
Chestnut cake
This delightful cake is doubly chestnutty: it contains chestnut flour, and sweet chestnut purée.May 8th 2020339 K5 1 hour 15 min.
Fruit crumble
A fruit pudding: very easy to do and delicious: just a layer of fruit with a golden crunchy topping.February 21th 2011360 K4.0 1 hour 15 min.
Epiphany galette
Here is the recipe for the very classic but delicious "galette des rois" (Epiphany galette) in puff or flaky pastry (pâte feuilletée) with almond cream or frangipane . You will also see some professional tips to easily handle the dough, and obtain a nice and regular galette.January 1st 2025295 K 24.5 3 hours 8 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-06-08)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Follow this recipe (as 4 people already do)
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.
The 3 comments already posted on this recipe