Can I prepare Beef Bourguignon in advance?

Yes, this is an excellent make-ahead dish. Cool the finished stew completely, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the hob or in a low oven. In fact, the flavours deepen overnight, making it even better the next day

What type of red wine should I use?

A dry red wine with moderate tannins works best – Pinot Noir is traditional and ideal, but Côtes du Rhône, Burgundy, or a similar full-bodied red wine will work beautifully. Avoid very expensive wines, but do use one you would enjoy drinking. The wine's acidity and fruit flavours are essential to the stew's character

Why is browning the beef important if I'm using a slow cooker?

Browning develops deep, savoury flavours through caramelisation that slow cooking alone cannot achieve. This step takes only 15 minutes and significantly improves the final dish's complexity and richness. It is highly recommended and worth the extra effort

Can I reduce the cooking time on High instead of Low?

Yes, you can cook on High for approximately 5 hours instead of Low for 8 hours. However, Low and slow cooking is gentler on the meat and produces a more tender, better-textured result. If using High, check the beef's tenderness at the 4-hour mark and add vegetables accordingly

BEEF BOURGUIGNON (French Beef Stew)

by Brian Lagerstrom

Beef

Published 7 May 2026Original video

Beef Bourguignon, also known as Beef Burgundy, is a timeless French classic that transforms humble beef chuck into melt-in-the-mouth tenderness through long, slow cooking in red wine. This slow cooker adaptation maintains the authentic flavour profile whilst being more approachable for the home cook. Beef is first browned for depth, then braised with red wine, stock, tomato paste, and aromatic vegetables until fall-apart tender. Pearl onions, mushrooms, and potatoes are added towards the end to maintain their texture. The result is a rich, glossy stew with incredible depth of flavour – perfect for dinner parties or cosy winter evenings

Video thumbnail: BEEF BOURGUIGNON (French Beef Stew)

Watch: BEEF BOURGUIGNON (French Beef Stew)

Original recipe video — click to play

Original video by Brian Lagerstrom 39k likes on YouTube

25 mins

Prep time

8 hrs

Slow cook (Low)

5 hrs

Slow cook (High)

Serves

8 hrs 25 mins

Total (Low)

Slow cooker setting:Low 8 hours or High 5 hours

Original method: Approximately 3 hours in conventional Dutch oven

Ingredients

Servings:

Units:

Main

2 ½ kg beef chuck roast, cubed, large chunks of fat removed
Cut into 5cm cubes for even cooking

Aromatics

1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
5 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
Reserve some carrot for vegetable garnish later
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 garlic head
, cut in half

Herbs & Seasonings

6 fresh thyme sprigs
Add in final 30 minutes of cooking
A few large sprigs for flavour
2 bay leaves
Add in final 30 minutes of cooking

Liquid

750 ml dry red wine
Pinot Noir or similar dry red wine
1260 ml beef stock
Reduced quantity for slow cooker cooking; use good-quality stock

Flavouring

25 g tomato paste
42 g demi-glace(optional)
Add in final 30 minutes of cooking
For rich, glossy sauce. Powdered version works well; stir in well

Vegetables

500 g cremini mushrooms, halved or quartered
Add 1.5–2 hours before end of cooking
6 small-medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and halved
Add 1.5–2 hours before end of cooking
Cut to roughly equal size for even cooking
400 g pearl onions
, peeled
Add 1.5–2 hours before end of cooking
Approx. 16–20 small onions; blanch briefly to ease peeling if desired

Finishing

55 g butter(optional)
Add at end to finish sauce
For silky, finished sauce
30 ml olive oil
For browning beef before slow cooker
to taste salt
Season beef before browning; taste and adjust at end

Optional

7 g powdered gelatine, bloomed in cold water if using(optional)
Add at very end if desired
Traditional to give sauce a glossy appearance; omit if preferred

Method

1
Pat beef dry with kitchen paper. Toss cubed beef with 2 tbsp olive oil and a generous pinch of salt in a large bowl.
~5 mins
Tip: Drying the meat helps achieve better browning
2
Heat a large frying pan or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, brown the beef on all sides until deeply caramelised, approximately 3–4 minutes per batch. Transfer browned beef to your slow cooker.
~15 mins
Tip: Browning develops flavour; do not skip this step
3
In the same pan, add the roughly chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add tomato paste and stir well for 1 minute.
~5 mins
Tip: This creates the flavour base for the stew
4
Pour the red wine into the pan and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 2–3 minutes.
~5 mins
Tip: Deglazing the pan concentrates flavour
5
Add the garlic (halved), beef stock, and the wine mixture to the slow cooker with the browned beef. Stir well to combine.
~3 mins
Tip: Ensure beef is mostly submerged in liquid
6
Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 5 hours, until beef is very tender and breaks easily with a spoon.
~8 hrs
Tip: Do not lift the lid unnecessarily during cooking
7
In the final 2 hours of cooking, add the halved cremini mushrooms, halved potatoes, and peeled pearl onions to the slow cooker.
0
Tip: Adding vegetables late prevents them becoming mushy
8
In the final 30 minutes of cooking, add the fresh thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and demi-glace (if using). Stir well to combine and allow flavours to meld.
0
Tip: Fresh herbs added at the end provide brighter flavour
9
When cooking is complete, taste the stew and season with additional salt if needed. If desired, stir in a knob of cold butter to finish the sauce for a silky sheen.
~2 mins
Tip: The butter creates a rich, glossy finish
10
Serve hot in deep bowls, ladling the rich sauce over the beef and vegetables. Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley if desired.
0
Tip: Beef Bourguignon is best enjoyed with crusty bread or egg noodles

Nutrition

Detailed nutritional information is coming soon.

Frequently Asked Questions

: Yes, this is an excellent make-ahead dish. Cool the finished stew completely, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the hob or in a low oven. In fact, the flavours deepen overnight, making it even better the next day

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