Wild Mushroom Beef Bourguignon (Print Version)

Tender beef slow-braised with wild mushrooms, pearl onions, carrots, and a rich red wine sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 3.3 lbs beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
02 - 3.5 oz smoked bacon or pancetta, diced (optional)

→ Vegetables

03 - 9 oz wild mushrooms such as chanterelles, porcini, or cremini, cleaned and sliced
04 - 7 oz pearl onions, peeled
05 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 1 large yellow onion, chopped
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

09 - 25 fl oz dry red wine such as Burgundy or Pinot Noir
10 - 2 cups beef stock
11 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Fats

12 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
13 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Herbs & Spices

14 - 3 sprigs fresh thyme
15 - 2 bay leaves
16 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
17 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Thickeners

18 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 325°F.
02 - Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
03 - In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in batches until browned on all sides, approximately 3-4 minutes per batch. Set aside.
04 - If using bacon, add the diced bacon to the pot and cook until crisp. Remove and set aside with the beef.
05 - Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot. Sauté the chopped onion, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
06 - Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to coat evenly. Cook for 2 minutes.
07 - Stir in tomato paste, then pour in the red wine while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
08 - Add beef stock, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Return the beef and bacon to the pot. Bring to a simmer.
09 - Cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 2 hours until the beef is very tender.
10 - While the beef is braising, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the wild mushrooms until golden and any liquid has evaporated, approximately 8-10 minutes. Set aside.
11 - In the same skillet, add pearl onions and cook until lightly caramelized, approximately 8 minutes.
12 - After 2 hours, add the sautéed mushrooms and pearl onions to the Dutch oven. Continue braising uncovered for an additional 30 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken and concentrate.
13 - Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
14 - Serve hot, garnished with fresh chopped parsley.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The beef becomes so tender it practically melts, and you'll feel like a proper French chef without breaking a sweat.
  • Wild mushrooms add an earthy depth that transforms this from classic to something entirely your own.
  • It's a one-pot wonder that actually gets better sitting in your fridge overnight, making it perfect for dinner parties or meal-prep moments.
02 -
  • Don't skip the searing step or rush it—those brown, crusty bits are flavor bombs that make the entire dish sing, and no amount of other ingredients can compensate for skipping this.
  • Taste the wine before you cook with it; if it tastes harsh or unpleasant to drink, it'll taste the same braised into your sauce for hours.
  • The mushrooms and pearl onions go in during the final 30 minutes for a reason—add them earlier and they'll dissolve into mush or turn dark and bitter.
03 -
  • Resist the urge to uncover the pot and peek constantly—every time you lift that lid, you're releasing heat and extending cooking time unnecessarily.
  • If your sauce looks too thin after braising, remove the beef and vegetables to a warm plate, then reduce the sauce on the stovetop over medium-high heat until it coats the back of a spoon.
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