As the weather turns colder, we love to indulge in some good old fashioned comfort food and a classic Boeuf Bourguignon always hits the mark. This rich, beef casserole favours red wine instead of stock to give you the signature flavoursome gravy and wonderfully tender meat that no casserole should be without.
To make your Boeuf Bourguignon you will need
To achieve that melt-in-the-mouth beef, you’ll need to cook everything low and slow… we promise it’s worth the wait! The best way to cook our Boeuf Bourguignon is using our cast iron cookware; cast iron cooking delivers exceptional heat distribution ensuring your ingredients cook evenly but also reduces washing up as our casserole dishes can go from hob to oven to table with ease. Just be warned that this dish is incredibly moreish so you may need more than one serving!
We used shallots in our recipe for a milder and slightly sweeter taste, but these can easily be swapped for pearl onions for a deeper and more intense flavour if you prefer. Whichever you opt for, when chopping it’s important to keep the root intact to hold your onions together during cooking. Although an intricate job we think this fiddly step is worth the extra prep time to keep everything neat, tidy and uniform. We recommend using a paring knife for this step as it’s perfect for handling the smaller cuts and slices that this task calls for.
When it comes to enjoying your Boeuf Bourguignon we think pasta bowls are the perfect vessel for serving. The dish pairs well with creamy mashed potatoes and seasonal greens but if you’d rather something a little lighter, a salad with a mustard-based dressing will complement the beef beautifully.
If you still have room for dessert after enjoying your Boeuf Bourguignon, our delectable Pear and Blackberry Crumble is a great way to finish a meal or perhaps our indulgent Caramel Apple Pie? You can find lots of great dessert ideas by heading to the recipe section here on our blog.
For more recipe inspiration you can check out our recipe section filled with lots of great dishes that you can make at home.
This recipe has been adapted from this one by BBC Good Food.
Boeuf Bourguignon
Ingredients
- 1.6 kg braising steak, cut into chunky pieces
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 200 g bacon lardons, smoked
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 75 cl red wine
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 beef stock cube
- 3 large bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 25 g butter
- 450 g shallots, cut into halves
- 300 g chestnut mushrooms, halved
- 2 heaped tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp cold water
- chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the beef in a cast iron casserole dish until nicely browned on all sides, turning every now and then and adding more oil if necessary.
- Preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas3.
- Using a frying pan, fry the smoked bacon lardons for 2–3 minutes, or until the fat crisps and browns. Transfer this to the cast iron dish and mix until well.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan with the meat and pour over the wine. Stir in the tomato purée and 150ml water. Crumble over the stock cube, add the herbs and bring to a simmer. Stir well, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1½ –1¾ hours, or until the beef is almost completely tender.
- While the beef is cooking, peel and chop the shallots, ensure the root is slightly left intact.
- A few minutes before the beef is ready, melt half of the butter in a large frying pan with a touch of oil and fry the shallots over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown on all sides. Tip into a bowl. Add the remaining butter and mushrooms to the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes over a fairly high heat until golden brown.
- Mix the cornflour with the water in a small jug until smooth.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and stir in the cornflour mixture, followed by the onions and mushrooms. Return to the oven and cook for 45 minutes more, or until the beef is meltingly tender and the sauce is thick.
- To serve, remove the thyme stalks. Sprinkle the casserole with parsley and serve.
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