Classic French Beef Stew (Boeuf Bourguignon) — Rich, Slow-Cooked, and Wine-Infused

As promised, here’s the detailed recipe complete with photos from last night’s dinner, paired with a dry red wine from Beciul Domnesc — which I also used in the cooking. I kept the side simple with lightly boiled rice to complement the rich stew.

I slightly adapted the recipe after reading Julia Child’s version: increased the wine quantity a bit, added a bay leaf for depth, and sautéed the mushrooms separately before adding them at the end, rather than cooking them directly in the stew.

This classic French dish features tender veal or pork simmered in red wine with vegetables, mushrooms, and garlic — a true comfort meal!

🕒 Prep & Cook Time

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: Approx. 2.5 hours
Servings: 6

📝 Ingredients

130 g bacon, sliced into strips
800 g veal or pork, cut into cubes
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 large onions, chopped
2 large carrots, sliced into rounds
6 garlic cloves, crushed
4½ cups beef stock (or chicken stock/water if unavailable)
1 finger’s width of cognac (approx. 15 ml)
250 ml dry red wine
250 g mushrooms, whole or halved depending on size
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
½ tbsp brown sugar
1 heaping tbsp tomato paste (or ½ cup canned tomato purée)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Oil (for frying)
1 tbsp butter

🔪 Instructions

Cook the Bacon:
- Fry bacon in a large pot without oil for about 5 minutes until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Prepare Meat:
- Place meat cubes and flour in a large plastic bag, shake well to coat evenly, then shake off excess flour.
Brown the Meat:
- In the bacon fat leftover in the pot, fry the meat in batches (3 minutes per batch) to ensure even browning without overcrowding. Add a little oil if needed between batches. Remove browned meat and keep warm with the bacon.
Sauté Vegetables:
- In the same pot, sauté onions and carrots for about 8 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Remove vegetables and set aside with meat.
Deglaze with Stock and Cognac:
- Pour ½ cup stock and cognac into the pot. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to dissolve browned bits and fat. Simmer for 8 minutes.
Combine Ingredients:
- Add bacon, meat, and vegetables back into the pot. Pour in the red wine, thyme, bay leaf, brown sugar, tomato paste, salt (~1½ tsp), pepper (¼ tsp), and remaining stock.
Simmer:
- Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer gently on low heat, just barely bubbling, for about 2½ hours until meat is tender.
Cook Mushrooms Separately:
- In a separate pan, heat oil and butter until sizzling. Sauté mushrooms until golden brown.
Finish the Stew:
- Add mushrooms to the stew, stir gently, and turn off heat.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

Serve this rich stew with:

Boiled potatoes or creamy mashed potatoes
Simple boiled rice (as I did)
Crusty bread to soak up the sauce

💡 Tips

Browning meat in batches is key to good texture and flavor. Avoid overcrowding.
Use a good quality dry red wine you would drink — it deeply influences the final taste.
Sauté mushrooms separately to keep them nicely browned and not soggy.
The bay leaf and thyme add traditional aromatic notes — don’t skip them.
If you want extra richness, finish with a knob of butter stirred into the sauce before serving.

🧾 Final Thoughts

This beef stew is a timeless classic that brings warmth and richness to any meal. The long, slow cooking lets the meat soak up the deep flavors of wine, herbs, and vegetables, creating a dish that’s comforting yet elegant. Perfect for a special dinner or cozy weekend treat, it pairs wonderfully with rustic sides and a glass of good red wine.