This is the ultimate Sunday supper. It’s a dish that asks for your patience and rewards you with something truly sublime. The rich, velvety sauce, the fall-apart tender beef, the little pearls of pearl onions that pop in your mouth… it’s a hearty, elegant, and deeply comforting masterpiece. Don’t let the long cook time intimidate you—most of it is hands-off, leaving your house to smell like a French countryside kitchen.
Quick Look
| Prep | Cook | Total | Feeds | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 min | 3 hours | 4+ hours | 6-8 | A loving project |
Grab These
- 3 lbs beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 6 oz bacon, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 bottle (750 ml) red Burgundy or Pinot Noir
- 2 cups beef stock
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, parsley tied together)
- 1 cup pearl onions, peeled
- 1 lb mushrooms, quartered
- Salt and black pepper
Let’s Make It
Pat your beef cubes completely dry and season them generously with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.
Now, in batches, sear the beef in the hot bacon fat. Don’t crowd the pan! You want a deep brown crust on all sides. This flavor is the foundation of your entire stew. Remove the beef and set it aside with the bacon.
In the same pot, add the chopped onion and carrots. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute to deepen its flavor.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for a minute to cook off the raw taste. Now, pour in the entire bottle of wine and the beef stock, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release all those delicious browned bits.
Return the beef and bacon to the pot. Add the bouquet garni. Bring it to a simmer, then cover and place it in a preheated 325°F (160°C) oven for 2 ½ to 3 hours. The beef should be fork-tender.
About 30 minutes before the stew is done, sauté the mushrooms and pearl onions in a separate skillet with a little butter until golden and tender. Stir them into the stew for the last 15 minutes of cooking.
My Two Cents
- Calories: About 550 per serving
- Storage: Tastes even better the next day! Keeps for 3 days in the fridge and freezes beautifully.
- Swaps: Can’t find pearl onions? Use a chopped yellow onion, but add it at the beginning with the other vegetables.
- Pro-Tip:* The single most important step is properly browning the beef in batches. Don’t rush it. That fond on the bottom of the pot is pure flavor gold.
You Asked, I’m Answering
Q: Do I really need a whole bottle of wine?
A: Yes! The alcohol cooks off, leaving behind an incredible depth of flavor that you just can’t get any other way.
Q: Can I make this in a slow cooker?
A: You can. Follow steps 1-4 on the stovetop, then transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours.