Description
This Easy Beef Bourguignon is a classic French-inspired stew featuring tender top sirloin steak, savory cured meat alternative, and a rich wine-infused sauce. Enhanced with aromatic herbs, mushrooms, pearl onions, and a touch of tomato paste, this comforting dish is perfect for a flavorful family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein
- 4 slices savory cured meat alternative, diced
- 2 pounds top sirloin steak, diced
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 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
Herbs and Seasonings
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Liquids and Others
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups robust dark flavorful liquid (such as red wine or a dark beer)
- 1 ½ cups beef stock
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Brown the cured meat alternative: Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the diced cured meat alternative until browned and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the meat and reserve the fat for later use.
- Brown the steak: Season the diced top sirloin steak with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Brown the steak in batches in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat, about 6-8 minutes per batch. Set the browned steak aside.
- Sauté the vegetables: Reduce heat to medium and add the diced onion and carrots to the Dutch oven. Sauté until tender, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Add garlic: Add the whole cloves of garlic, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add flour and tomato paste: Whisk in the all-purpose flour and tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute to remove raw flour taste.
- Deglaze the pot: Pour in the robust dark flavorful liquid (such as a dry red wine or dark beer), scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen browned bits for extra flavor.
- Add beef stock and herbs, and simmer: Stir in the beef stock, fresh thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Return the browned steak to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer uncovered for 30 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Sauté mushrooms and pearl onions: In a separate skillet, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the cremini mushrooms and thawed pearl onions, sautéing for 5-6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and chopped fresh thyme leaves, cooking for an additional 1 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, diced cured meat alternative, and chopped fresh parsley. Warm everything together for 1-2 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste the stew and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- For the robust dark flavorful liquid, dry red wine is traditional and adds depth, but a dark beer or grape juice can be substituted if desired.
- Dicing the steak into uniform pieces helps ensure even browning and cooking.
- The pearl onions add sweetness and texture; thaw them fully before sautéing for best results.
- You can prepare the stew a day ahead, allowing flavors to meld even better; reheat gently on the stovetop before serving.
- Feel free to use gluten-free flour if you prefer a gluten-free version.
