Beef Bourguignon with Smashed Potatoes
This classic French beef bourguignon features a deep, wine‑infused braise with carrots, mushrooms, and herbs, finished with a silky sauce. It’s paired with creamy smashed potatoes for a comforting, hearty meal perfect for dinner gatherings.
Instructions
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Roast the beef
Preheat the oven to the highest temperature possible (around 550 °F). Toss the cubed beef with olive oil and salt, spread on a sheet pan, and roast 15–20 minutes until browned. Remove and set aside. -
Build the aromatic base
In a large heavy pot, combine the wine, onion, one carrot, celery, garlic halves, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium and simmer 15–20 minutes. -
Add stock and braising liquids
Reduce oven temperature to 300 °F. Stir in the 1.5 kg beef stock, tomato paste, and demi‑glace. Place a doubled layer of cheesecloth over the pot, lay the roasted beef on top, and add the deglazing water scraped from the sheet pan. Tuck the cheesecloth around the meat. -
Braise in the oven
Heat the pot over medium‑high until it simmers, then cover and transfer to the 300 °F oven. Braise for about 3 hours, checking after 2 hours; remove the lid and continue cooking another 45 minutes to 1 hour until the meat is fork‑tender but not falling apart. Cool, then refrigerate overnight. -
Finish the braising liquid
Skim cooled fat from the surface, then reheat the pot. Remove the beef and strain the liquid through a fine‑mesh strainer, squeezing the cheesecloth to extract all juice. Return the strained liquid to the pot and simmer, reducing about two‑thirds (≈45 minutes) until thickened. -
Incorporate gelatin
Bloom the powdered gelatin in the 2 cups of beef stock for 5 minutes, then stir it into the reduced braising liquid. -
Add vegetables
Roughly chop the remaining carrots and mushrooms. When the sauce has reduced by about one‑third, add the carrots and cook 15 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms in a nonstick pan with olive oil and a pinch of salt until golden brown, about 12 minutes, then add them to the pot. -
Return beef and finish sauce
When the liquid is down to about 20 % of its original volume and large bubbles form, return the beef to the pot, spooning sauce over it. Cook an additional 10 minutes, reducing the sauce another 5–10 %. -
Prepare smashed potatoes
Dice the peeled potatoes into 1‑inch pieces, place in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a simmer. Cook until tender, then drain. Return to the pan, add butter and a generous pinch of salt, and mash until smooth. Adjust seasoning. -
Serve
Plate the smashed potatoes, top with beef, carrots, mushrooms, and generous spoonfuls of the reduced sauce. Enjoy immediately.
Tips
For deepest flavor, let the braised beef cool and rest in the refrigerator overnight before finishing the sauce. This helps the fat solidify for easy removal and concentrates the broth.
Video
“BEEF BOURGUIGNON (French Beef Stew)” by Brian Lagerstrom , watch on YouTube.
About this recipe
Beef bourguignon is a traditional French stew that slow‑cooks beef chuck in red wine and beef stock until the meat is fork‑tender and the flavors meld beautifully. The addition of thyme, bay leaves, and a touch of demi‑glace gives the sauce a rich, velvety texture.
Serve the stew over buttery smashed potatoes, letting the sauce coat each bite. This dish shines on a cool evening, offering deep, savory notes that are both elegant and satisfying.
