James Martin Boeuf Bourguignon

This classic James Martin Boeuf Bourguignon is a slow cooked French beef stew with rich red wine sauce, tender beef, and deep, comforting flavour. The texture is meltingly soft with a glossy sauce that coats every piece. It is a moderate recipe that rewards patience rather than skill. Total time is around 3 hours, most of it hands off while the oven does the work.

Ingredients

For the beef stew

• 1.2kg braising steak, cut into large chunks
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 150g smoked bacon lardons
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 750ml full bodied red wine
• 500ml beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the mushrooms and onions

• 200g button mushrooms
• 12 shallots, peeled
• 25g unsalted butter

How to Make James Martin Boeuf Bourguignon

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 170°C or 150°C fan. Place a shelf in the middle of the oven so the casserole cooks gently and evenly.
• Prepare the beef: Toss the beef pieces in the flour with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Shake off any excess flour.
• Brown the meat: Heat the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole dish. Brown the beef in batches until well coloured, then remove and set aside.
• Build the base: Add the bacon lardons to the same dish and cook until lightly crisp. Stir in the onions and carrots and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
• Add flavour: Stir in the tomato purée and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the red wine and let it bubble for 3 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
• Slow cook: Return the beef to the dish. Add the stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid, then transfer to the oven for 2½ hours until the beef is tender.
• Finish the vegetables: About 20 minutes before the end, melt the butter in a frying pan. Fry the mushrooms and shallots until golden, then stir them into the stew.
• Rest and serve: Remove the herbs, check seasoning, and allow the stew to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Tips

Why is my sauce thin?

Remove the lid for the final 20 minutes of cooking so the sauce can reduce naturally and thicken.

Can I make this ahead?

Yes. This dish tastes even better the next day once the flavours have developed.

How do I keep the beef tender?

Use braising steak and cook low and slow. Rushing the cooking time will make the meat tough.

Serving Suggestions

• Creamy mashed potatoes
• Buttered tagliatelle
• Crusty French bread
• Steamed green beans

Storage

Room temperature

Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Refrigerator

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the hob or in the oven.

Freezing

Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Nutrition

• Calories: 520 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 18g
• Protein: 42g
• Fat: 28g
• Saturated fat: 10g
• Sodium: 680mg

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary.

FAQs

James Martin Boeuf Bourguignon

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: MainCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Rich and comforting French beef stew slow cooked in red wine with mushrooms and shallots.

Ingredients

• 1.2kg braising steak, diced

• 2 tbsp plain flour

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 150g smoked bacon lardons

• 2 onions, chopped

• 2 carrots, sliced

• 2 tbsp tomato purée

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 750ml red wine

• 500ml beef stock

• 2 bay leaves

• Fresh thyme

• 200g button mushrooms

• 12 shallots

• 25g butter

• Salt and pepper

Directions

• Preheat oven to 170°C or 150°C fan.
• Dust beef with flour and seasoning.
• Brown beef in batches in olive oil.
• Cook bacon, onions, and carrots until softened.
• Add tomato purée, garlic, wine, and stock.
• Return beef, add herbs, cover, and cook in oven for 2½ hours.
• Fry mushrooms and shallots in butter and add to stew.
• Rest briefly before serving.

Notes

• Cook slowly for best tenderness.
• Tastes better the next day.
• Freezes well once cooled.