Beef Bourguignon

A dish fit for a Hobbit.

As the subtitle of this post suggests, I believe this dish would fit perfectly within an idyllic mythical fantasy realm. A place where quests with a ragtag, unlikely crew lead to the downfall of an evil tyrant king and the discovery of long-lost treasures. Perhaps it’s a land where ancient dragons rule the wintry mountain regions, and dwarves, elves, humans, and all manner of fascinating creatures roam freely. In a world where magic, enchantments, and sorcery exist, so too does my beef bourguignon, in all its rich, hearty and ultimately perfect real-life normallness.

Let’s pretend for a moment that I’m a character in one of J. R. R. Tolkien or George R. R. Martin’s novels. Where would you find me? I’d be in the local tavern, or the village inn, turning away strangers offering me relics or quests which take me afar. “No thanks, kind sir. I have no need for your alluring wares and dangerous missions. I have a pot of beef bourguignon braising at home and I’ve gotta get back for it.”

I think if I were a specific character in The Lord of the Rings, I’d be one of the hobbits who stays in Hobbiton and waves Bilbo off while deciding which side dish I’m having with my beef bourguignon. Probably mashed potato.

To bring things back to the real world, I decided to have a go at creating a recipe for this classic French stew mainly because the weather has turned here in the UK and it feels as though summer has well and truly abandoned us. No polite goodbye, no gentle let down, just BAM, autumn.

For the past few years September has been another warm month, helping to stretch out what’s usually a fleeting British summer. But this year, Mother Nature seems to have returned to her old ways, and so far September’s been blustery and much colder. Skies are grey, leaves are falling, and it feels only right to bring out a big pot and get some meat slowly braising while I’m outside getting battered by the wind and rain.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though. There’s been the occasional spot of good weather here in Yorkshire, with some days offering clear skies and a crisp freshness. My wife and I have already had a pumpkin spiced latte (or two), and a few times we’ve noticed the comforting smell of woodsmoke in the air. It’s an easy time of year to romanticise even the simplest things. Taking note of what you’re grateful for, and making the effort to be present and notice the small details that mark the changing of the season.

But what tends to mark the changing of the seasons most strongly for me, is my lack of enthusiasm for salads, and my growing enthusiasm for hearty stews. And what better stew to kick things off than beef bourguignon? It’s a classic for a reason!

I’ve always thought it sounded like a posh dish (anything french sounds posh, right?), but when you strip it back, it’s really just beef, wine, and a good bit of patience. When done right though, the result of these three elements can’t be beaten.

It’s deceptively simple. You start it off with a bit of chopping and sizzling, pour in a good glug of wine, then let time do all the heavy lifting. A few hours later, the house smells incredible, the sauce is rich and glossy, and you’ve got something that feels as though it belongs in both a Parisian restaurant, a French grandma’s cottage, and one of many hobbit holes in Hobbiton.

The reason I love beef bourguignon, and why you should make this recipe in particular, is that it’s proper comfort food without being complicated. I’ve kept the recipe simple and fuss free, but with a few small tweaks that make all the difference: the right cut of beef, a good sear and caramelisation on the meat, a slow braise that brings the flavours together, and the right wine to give it that deep, savoury richness without overpowering it. By using simple cooking methods, done in the right order, you’ll end up with a flavour-packed stew with fall-apart chunks of beef, umami-rich carrots, earthy mushrooms, bacon lardons and onions, all in a rich gravy that pairs perfectly with creamy mashed potato. It’s the perfect antidote to these increasingly cold, blustery evenings, and I hope this recipe is one that you come back to every autumn.

As my hobbit-self might say: “I may not be leaving Hobbiton to fight orcs or slay dragons for treasure anytime soon, but with this on the table, I’ve got everything I need.”

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Serves 4. Cooking time: 4 hours (it’s worth it I promise).

Ingredients

• 800g - 1kg brasing steak

• 180g smoked bacon or lardons

• 75cl bottle red wine, I used pinot noir

• 1 large white onion, diced

• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

• 300g pearl or small onions, peeled and halved

• 200g chestnut mushrooms, quartered

• 3 celery stalks, diced

• 3 garic cloves

• 1 heaped teaspoon tomato purée

• 3 - 4 sprigs of thyme

• 750ml beef stock

• 25g butter

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 tsp sugar

• 3 tablespoons flour

• 2 tsp cornflour

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp white pepper

• 2 tablespoon neutral oil

For serving

• Mashed potato

• Fresh parsley, chopped

Method

1. Finely dice the celery and onions, peel and chop the carrots, chop the mushrooms, and peel the garlic cloves while leaving them whole.

2. Chop the beef into medium-large chunks, season generously with salt and pepper, and set aside to come up to room temperature.

3. Chop the smoked bacon or lardons and then place a large pot over medium-high heat, add a glug of neutral oil, and fry the bacon until golden and crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind, and set it aside on a plate.

4. Increase the heat to high and add the beef in batches, searing each piece for a few minutes per side until golden and caramelised. Transfer the beef to the plate with the bacon once browned, and don’t worry about residue sticking to the bottom of the pot as this will add flavour later.

5. Lower the heat to medium-high, then add the diced celery, onion, carrots, and three whole cloves of garlic to the pot along with half of the butter. Stir and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes, then stir in the tomato purée. Return the beef and bacon to the pot, sprinkle in the flour, and stir well to coat everything. Pour in the red wine and simmer for 10 minutes to cook off the alcohol and allow the flavours to come together.

6. Add the beef stock, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and a little more salt and pepper. Stir, cover with a lid, and bring the mixture back to a gentle boil.

7. In a separate frying pan over medium-high heat, melt the remaining butter. Add the pearl onions and mushrooms, cooking until they take on a rich colour, then tip them into the main pot with the beef. Stir well, ensure the stew is at a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 2 hours.

8. After 2 hours, remove the lid, gently stir the stew, and continue to cook uncovered for another 1 hour and 30 minutes. This is a good time to prepare mashed potatoes if you plan to serve them alongside.

9. When you finally return to the stew (I imagine your house is smelling great right about now), give it a gentle stir and then mix two teaspoons of cornflour with a couple of tablespoons of water in a seperate bowl to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the pot to thicken the sauce and give it a glossy finish.

10. Taste the stew, adjust the seasoning if needed, and serve over creamy mashed potatoes with a scattering of finely chopped fresh parsley. I guaruntee when you took into this, you’ll be feeling like a very smug little Hobbit.

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Yes, you’re right. I had a whole plate of cheese for lunch.

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Thank you for making it all the way down here at the bottom of this post. It means so much having you here. Genuinly.

I hope you’re having a great start to autumn/fall, and I have so many awesome recepies to share with you very soon. Keep your eyes peeled.

Miles x