Name: French Beef Bourguignon with Tender Potatoes
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 2 h 15 min
Total time: 2 h 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1.5 pounds beef chuck; 4 ounces bacon; 1 medium yellow onion; 2 medium carrots; 4 cloves garlic; 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 2 cups dry red wine; 1.5 cups beef broth; 2 bay leaves; 4 sprigs fresh thyme; 8 ounces pearl onions; 8 ounces button mushrooms; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon salt; 0.5 teaspoon black pepper; 0.25 cup fresh parsley

French Beef Bourguignon with Tender Potatoes

DessertSoupcomfort foodfrenchstewweeknight

25 minPrep2 h 15 minCook4Serves

Ingredients

1½ poundsbeef chuck (cut into 2-inch cubes)
4 ouncesbacon
1 mediumyellow onion
2 mediumcarrots
4 clovesgarlic
1 poundYukon Gold potatoes
2 tablespoonstomato paste
2 tablespoonsall-purpose flour
2 cupsdry red wine (Burgundy or Pinot Noir)
1½ cupsbeef broth
2bay leaves
4 sprigsfresh thyme
8 ouncespearl onions (frozen is fine)
8 ouncesbutton mushrooms
2 tablespoonsolive oil
1 teaspoonsalt
½ teaspoonblack pepper
¼ cupfresh parsley

Prep

01
Cut 4 ounces bacon into 1/2-inch pieces
02
Pat 1 1/2 pounds beef chuck cubes dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
03
Dice 1 medium yellow onion
04
Peel and slice 2 medium carrots into 1/2-inch rounds
05
Mince 4 cloves garlic
06
Peel and quarter 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes
07
If using fresh pearl onions, blanch and peel them; otherwise thaw frozen pearl onions
08
Quarter 8 ounces button mushrooms
09
Chop 1/4 cup fresh parsley

Method

01
In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon pieces until crispy, about 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
02
Increase heat to medium-high. Working in batches to avoid crowding, brown the seasoned beef cubes on all sides, about 3 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside with the bacon.
03
Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion and sliced carrots to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.
04
Add the minced garlic and 2 tablespoons tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until fragrant.
05
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over the vegetables and stir to coat, cooking for 1 minute.
06
Pour in 2 cups red wine, stirring to scrape up all browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.
07
Return the beef and bacon to the pot. Add 1 1/2 cups beef broth, 2 bay leaves, and 4 sprigs fresh thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
08
Add the quartered potatoes and pearl onions. Cover and continue simmering for 30 minutes until potatoes are tender.
09
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the quartered mushrooms and cook without stirring for 3 minutes, then toss and cook another 2 minutes until golden. Season with a pinch of salt.
10
Stir the sautéed mushrooms into the stew. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
11
Serve hot, garnished with the chopped fresh parsley.

Spice Tips

For subtle warmth, add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika with the tomato paste. For a touch of heat, stir in a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes during the last 10 minutes of cooking. A few grinds of fresh black pepper just before serving brightens the richness.

This stew tastes even better the next day. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The potatoes may soften further upon reheating; add a splash of broth if needed. Can be made without bacon for a slightly lighter version, using 2 tablespoons olive oil to brown the beef instead.