Description
This Easy Beef Bourguignon recipe is a comforting classic French stew made with tender top sirloin steak, savory cured meat alternative, aromatic vegetables, and a rich red wine-inspired sauce. Simmered to perfection and finished with sautéed mushrooms and pearl onions, this dish is perfect for a hearty dinner that impresses without requiring extensive effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein
- 4 slices savory cured meat alternative, diced
- 2 pounds top sirloin steak, diced
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms
- 1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
Liquids and Staples
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups robust dark flavorful liquid (such as red wine or similar substitute)
- 1 ½ cups beef stock
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Brown the cured meat alternative: Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the diced cured meat alternative until browned and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the meat and reserve the fat in the pot.
- Brown the steak: Season the diced top sirloin steak with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Brown the steak in batches in the reserved fat over medium-high heat, about 6-8 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté vegetables: Lower heat to medium. Add diced onion and carrots to the pot and sauté until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add garlic: Add the whole garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add flour and tomato paste: Whisk in all-purpose flour and tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute to form a base for the sauce.
- Deglaze with liquid: Pour in the robust dark flavorful liquid, scraping the browned bits from the pot to incorporate deep flavor.
- Add beef stock and herbs, simmer: Stir in beef stock, fresh thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Return the browned steak to the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes until the sauce thickens and meat is tender.
- Sauté mushrooms and pearl onions: In a separate skillet, melt unsalted butter over medium heat. Add cremini mushrooms and thawed pearl onions, sauté for 5-6 minutes until lightly browned. Add minced garlic and chopped fresh thyme leaves; cook for 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine and finish: Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves from stew. Stir in the mushroom and pearl onion mixture, browned cured meat alternative, and chopped parsley. Warm everything together for 1-2 minutes to meld flavors.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve the beef bourguignon immediately, enjoying the rich, hearty stew.
Notes
- For the robust dark flavorful liquid, a dry red wine is traditional, but you can substitute with grape juice mixed with a splash of vinegar or beef broth if avoiding alcohol.
- Make sure to brown the meat in batches to avoid overcrowding, which helps develop a rich crust and deeper flavor.
- The dish simmers uncovered to allow the sauce to reduce and thicken naturally.
- Thaw the pearl onions in advance to ensure even cooking.
- Fresh herbs add brightness; do not skip thyme and parsley for authentic flavor.
