Cozy Up with Anthony Bourdain’s Beef Bourguignon Recipe

Beef bourguignon emerged as anthony bourdain’s ultimate comfort dish that transcends ordinary meal preparation.

Culinary enthusiasts recognize this classic French stew as a deeply satisfying experience.

Rich layers of flavor merge tender meat with robust red wine reduction.

Rustic cooking techniques bring complex ingredients into harmonious balance.

Bold ingredients like pearl onions and smoky bacon create remarkable depth.

Hearty and warming, this recipe connects you to traditional French countryside cooking.

You’ll fall in love with every savory, melt-in-your-mouth bite of this extraordinary dish.

Best Parts Of Anthony Bourdain’s Beef Bourguignon

• Elevate Home Cooking: Transform an ordinary kitchen into a gourmet experience with this classic French stew that brings restaurant-quality flavors directly to your dining table.
• Master Complex Techniques: Learn professional-level cooking skills by practicing traditional braising methods, developing deeper culinary confidence with each preparation.
• Comfort Food Champion: Discover a rich, hearty dish that warms the soul, perfect for gathering family and friends around a deeply satisfying meal that feels like a culinary hug.
• Flexible Weekend Cooking: Enjoy a leisurely cooking process that allows downtime between steps, making it ideal for relaxed cooking and creating memorable dining moments.

Ingredients List For Bourdain’s Beef Bourguignon

• Beef Cubes: Tender chunks of beef that form the hearty base of this classic French stew.
• Bacon: Adds a rich, smoky flavor and crispy texture to enhance the overall dish.

• Onion, Carrots, Pearl Onions: Provide sweetness and depth to the stew's flavor profile.
• Garlic: Brings a pungent and aromatic element to the dish.
• Mushrooms: Adds an earthy and meaty texture to complement the beef.

• Bay Leaf, Thyme Sprigs: Infuse the stew with subtle, herbaceous undertones.
• Tomato Paste: Deepens the richness and adds a slight tangy complexity.
• Red Wine: Creates a robust and sophisticated flavor base for the stew.
• Beef Stock: Provides a rich, savory liquid that helps tenderize the meat.

• Olive Oil, Butter: Used for cooking and adding richness to the dish.
• Salt, Pepper: Essential seasonings to enhance the natural flavors.
• Flour: Helps to thicken the sauce and create a smooth texture.
• Parsley: Fresh herb used as a bright, fresh garnish.

Simple Process For Bourdain’s Bourguignon

Step 1: Warm Up The Oven

Preheat the oven to a cozy 325F, creating the perfect environment for slow-cooking magic.

Step 2: Season The Beef

Lovingly sprinkle salt and pepper over the beef cubes, ensuring each piece is well-coated with flavor.

Step 3: Brown The Beef

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven.

Carefully brown the beef in batches, creating a delicious golden crust.

Set the browned pieces aside.

Step 4: Crisp The Bacon

Add diced bacon to the pot and cook until it transforms into crispy, irresistible bits.

Remove and set aside.

Step 5: Saute The Vegetables

• Onions
• Carrots

Cook until the vegetables soften and become fragrant.

Add garlic and cook for a quick minute to release its aroma.

Step 6: Build The Flavor Foundation

Stir in tomato paste and flour, cooking for 2-3 minutes to develop a rich, deep flavor profile.

Step 7: Deglaze With Wine

Pour in red wine, scraping up all the delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Let the wine simmer and reduce for 5 minutes.

Step 8: Combine And Simmer

• Beef stock
• Bay leaf
• Thyme
• Browned beef

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, allowing the flavors to mingle.

Step 9: Slow Cook In The Oven

Cover the pot and transfer to the oven.

Let it cook for 2.5 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

The beef will become meltingly tender.

Step 10: Add Final Touches

In the last 30 minutes, saute pearl onions and mushrooms in butter until they turn golden and caramelized.

Gently fold these into the stew.

Step 11: Serve And Enjoy

Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs.

Serve the bourguignon hot, garnished with fresh parsley for a burst of color and freshness.

Pro Tips From Bourdain’s Kitchen

• Ensure meat is dry before searing to achieve a deep, caramelized crust that locks in incredible flavor.
• Choose a medium-bodied red wine like Burgundy or Pinot Noir that you'd actually enjoy drinking for the best taste profile.
• Maintain a gentle oven temperature to break down tough meat fibers, creating meltingly tender beef that falls apart.
• Crispy bacon adds smoky richness and provides an extra layer of umami to the classic French stew.
• Cut vegetables uniformly to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the bourguignon.

Creative Variations For Beef Bourguignon

• Vegetarian Bourguignon: Replace beef with hearty portobello mushrooms or seitan, using vegetable stock instead of beef stock for a plant-based version.
• Slow Cooker Method: Adapt the recipe by browning ingredients first, then transfer to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours for convenient preparation.
• Low-Carb Adaptation: Skip flour, use cauliflower instead of carrots, and serve over cauliflower rice to reduce carbohydrate content.
• Mediterranean Style: Swap red wine with dry white wine, add kalamata olives, and include fresh rosemary for a Greek-inspired variation.

Serving Bourdain’s Bourguignon Like A Pro

• Cozy Comfort Plate: Serve this rich beef bourguignon over creamy mashed potatoes for a classic, hearty meal that warms the soul.
• Rustic Bread Companion: Slice a crusty French baguette or sourdough to soak up the delicious wine-infused sauce, capturing every last drop of flavor.
• Wine Pairing Perfection: Choose a robust red Burgundy or Pinot Noir that matches the recipe's deep, complex wine-based sauce for an elevated dining experience.
• Winter Dinner Party Star: Present the stew in a large, rustic cast-iron pot at the center of the table for a stunning, family-style presentation that invites sharing and conversation.

Bourdain’s Bourguignon Storage Made Simple

• Store leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking. Keeps fresh for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
• Transfer cooled beef bourguignon to freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Freeze up to 3 months for best quality.
• Place portion in microwave-safe dish, cover with lid or microwave-safe plastic wrap. Heat on medium power in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each interval until heated through.
• Pour stew into saucepan, add splash of beef stock or red wine to prevent drying. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until temperature reaches 165°F, ensuring even heating and maintaining sauce consistency.

FAQs

• Why use red wine in this recipe?

Red wine adds depth, richness, and a complex flavor to the beef bourguignon, tenderizing the meat while creating a robust sauce characteristic of traditional French cooking.

• Can I substitute the red wine?

While red wine is crucial to the authentic taste, you can use beef broth with a splash of red wine vinegar if alcohol is a concern, though the flavor profile will be slightly different.

• What type of beef is best for this dish?

Chuck roast or beef shoulder are ideal because they have enough marbling and connective tissue to become tender during the long, slow cooking process, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth meat.

• Is this dish really difficult to make?

Despite its fancy reputation, beef bourguignon is actually quite straightforward – it just requires patience and careful layering of flavors through browning meats and slowly braising in the oven.

Anthony Bourdains Beef Bourguignon Recipe

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4.5 from 23 reviews

• Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Hearty beef bourguignon celebrates French culinary mastery with tender meat braised in rich red wine. Robust flavors and classic techniques promise a soulful dining experience you’ll savor down to the last delectable bite.

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Ingredients

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Meat:

• 3 pounds (1.36 kilograms) beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes

Meats and Aromatics:

• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 pearl onions, peeled
• 10–12 cremini mushrooms, sliced

Liquids and Seasonings:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups red wine (preferably Burgundy)
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to a gentle 325F (160C), creating the perfect slow-cooking environment for this classic French stew.
2. Generously season beef cubes with salt and pepper, ensuring robust flavor penetration.
3. Warm olive oil in a substantial Dutch oven over medium-high heat, methodically browning beef in strategic batches to develop a rich caramelized exterior. Transfer browned meat to a separate plate.
4. Render diced bacon in the same pot until achieving a crisp, golden texture. Extract and reserve the bacon pieces.
5. Utilize the rendered fat to sauté onions and carrots until they become translucent and tender, approximately 5 minutes. Introduce minced garlic and briefly cook to release its aromatic essence.
6. Incorporate tomato paste and flour, stirring continuously to create a thickening base and eliminate raw flour taste.
7. Deglaze the pot with red wine, meticulously scraping accumulated flavor-rich browned bits from the bottom. Allow wine to reduce and concentrate for 5 minutes.
8. Reintroduce browned beef, crispy bacon, beef stock, bay leaf, and thyme into the pot. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
9. Securely cover the Dutch oven and transfer to the preheated oven. Allow the stew to slowly braise for 2.5 to 3 hours, occasionally stirring to ensure even cooking.
10. During the final 30 minutes, separately sauté pearl onions and mushrooms in butter until achieving a golden-brown perfection. Gently fold these caramelized vegetables into the stew.
11. Remove aromatic herbs, plate the bourguignon, and garnish with fresh parsley for a vibrant finish.

Notes

• Select high-quality, well-marbled beef chuck for tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture that breaks down beautifully during slow cooking.
• Pat beef cubes completely dry before browning to achieve deep caramelization and prevent steaming instead of searing.
• Use a robust, full-bodied red wine like Burgundy or Côtes du Rhône to enhance the rich, complex flavor profile of the stew.
• Consider making this dish a day ahead, as flavors deepen and intensify when allowed to rest overnight in the refrigerator, creating an even more delicious meal.

• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 3 hours
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Braising
• Cuisine: French

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 475 kcal
• Sugar: 4 g
• Sodium: 420 mg
• Fat: 30 g
• Saturated Fat: 10 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
• Trans Fat: 0.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 12 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 38 g
• Cholesterol: 110 mg