Description
This Easy Beef Bourguignon is a classic French stew made with tender top sirloin steak, savory cured meat alternative, fresh vegetables, and a rich, flavorful sauce. Perfectly cooked in a Dutch oven, this hearty dish is ideal for a comforting dinner that brings deep, robust flavors to your table in just over an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 4 slices savory cured meat alternative, diced
- 2 pounds top sirloin steak, diced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Vegetables
- 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
Other Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups robust dark flavorful liquid (such as red wine or dark beer)
- 1 ½ cups beef stock
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Cook 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 to 8 minutes. Remove the meat and reserve the rendered 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, about 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside once browned.
- Sauté vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium and add the diced onion and carrots to the Dutch oven. Sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add garlic: Stir in the garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, being careful not to burn them.
- Incorporate flour and tomato paste: Whisk in the all-purpose flour and tomato paste, cooking for about 1 minute to form a roux and deepen flavor.
- Add liquids: Pour in the robust dark flavorful liquid (such as red wine or dark beer), scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot to deglaze. Stir in the beef stock, fresh thyme sprigs, and bay leaves.
- Simmer the stew: Return the browned steak to the pot and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the meat is tender.
- Sauté mushrooms and pearl onions: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a separate skillet over medium heat. Sauté the cremini mushrooms and thawed pearl onions for 5 to 6 minutes until golden. Add the minced garlic and chopped fresh thyme leaves, cooking for another minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine and finish: Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the stew. Stir in the sautéed mushroom and pearl onion mixture, the reserved cured meat alternative, and chopped fresh parsley. Warm everything together for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately for a rich and hearty meal.
Notes
- For an authentic flavor, use a robust dry red wine such as Burgundy or Pinot Noir as the dark flavorful liquid.
- If you cannot find pearl onions, small diced yellow onions can be used as a substitute.
- Allow the stew to rest for 10 minutes before serving to let flavors meld even more.
- This dish pairs wonderfully with creamy mashed potatoes, crusty bread, or buttered noodles.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and often taste better the next day.
