Easy beef bourguignon without wine

Ingredients

• 2 kgbeef for bourguignon, such as chuck, cut into cubes
• 500 gbutton mushrooms
• 3carrots
• 2onions
• 5 clovesgarlic
• 1leek, white part
• 3 sprigsfresh thyme
• 3bay leaves
• 45 ml (3 tablespoons)olive oil
• 30 gcornflour or plain flour
• 30 gbutter
• 10 gdark chocolate (optional)
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)red wine vinegar (optional)
• 2 cubesvegetable or beef stock cubes
• 1.5 litreswater
• to tastesalt
• to tasteblack pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare vegetables

   Peel the carrots and cut them into chunks. Peel and chop the onions.

2. 2

   Chop the garlic

   Peel the garlic cloves, remove their central shoots, then finely chop the cloves.

3. 3

   Cut the leek

   Remove the outer leaf from the white part of the leek and cut the rest into chunks.

4. 4

   Cube the beef

   Cut the beef chuck into evenly sized cubes.

5. 5

   Make the stock

   Dissolve the 2 stock cubes in 1.5 litres of hot water.

6. 6

   Brown the beef

   Heat the olive oil and butter in a casserole. Add the beef cubes and brown them.

7. 7

   Soften aromatics

   Add the chopped onion and garlic, stirring until they are lightly golden.

8. 8

   Add vegetables

   Stir in the carrots and leek.

9. 9

   Stir in flour

   Add the cornflour or plain flour and mix well.

10. 10

    Add stock and herbs

    Pour in enough boiling water or stock to cover the beef. Add the thyme and bay leaves, then season with salt and pepper.

11. 11

    Simmer the stew

    Cover the casserole and cook over a low to medium heat for 1 to 1½ hours.

12. 12

    Add mushrooms

    Halve the fresh mushrooms and add them to the casserole with the chocolate and balsamic vinegar.

13. 13

    Cook briefly

    Cover again and cook over a low heat for another 15 minutes.

14. 14

    Check the sauce

    Pierce the beef with the tip of a knife to check if it is tender; continue cooking if it is still firm. If the sauce is too thin, ladle some into a bowl, mix in 1 tablespoon of cornflour or flour, then stir this mixture back into the casserole over a low heat.

15. 15

    Serve the stew

    Serve the cooked beef bourguignon straight away with pilaf rice, mashed potatoes or good homemade bread.

What is beef bourguignon?

Beef bourguignon is a French beef stew traditionally associated with Burgundy and its wine-based cooking. This version leaves out the wine but keeps the slow-cooked beef, aromatic vegetables, herbs and mushrooms that make the dish so comforting.

A little chocolate and vinegar are suggested near the end of cooking. They add depth and balance to the broth without making the stew taste like chocolate or vinegar.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 340 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

The beef supplies most of the protein, while the carrots, onions and leek contribute carbohydrates; the oil and butter provide much of the fat. Serve it with a moderate portion of rice or mashed potatoes and add extra vegetables if you want a more balanced plate.

Choosing the beef

Cut: Use a braising cut such as chuck, which becomes tender during a long, gentle cook. Cutting the beef into similarly sized cubes helps it cook evenly.

Browning: Give the beef room in the casserole and brown it before adding the vegetables. This builds a savoury base for the broth.

Building the base

Aromatics: Onion and garlic are softened after the beef has browned, then carrots and leek join them. Stir the flour through the mixture so it is distributed before adding liquid.

Stock: Use vegetable or beef stock cubes dissolved in hot water. Add enough liquid to cover the beef, rather than automatically pouring in all of it if the casserole is already covered.

Getting tender beef

Slow cooking: Keep the casserole covered and cook over a low to medium heat for 1 to 1½ hours before adding the mushrooms. The beef should be gently simmering, not rapidly boiling.

Doneness: Test a piece with the tip of a knife. If it still feels firm, continue cooking and check again; the time can vary with the size of the cubes and the cut.

Finishing the sauce

Mushrooms: Halve the mushrooms and add them for the final 15 minutes so they cook through without spending the whole simmer in the pot.

Thickness: If the sauce is thin, blend a ladleful with 1 tablespoon of cornflour or flour, then return it to the casserole and stir over a low heat. Mixing the thickener into sauce first helps avoid lumps.

What to serve with it

Rice: Pilaf rice is one suggested accompaniment and catches the savoury sauce well.

Potatoes and bread: Mashed potatoes or homemade bread also suit the casserole, offering a simple way to make the sauce part of every bite.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the beef into even cubes so the pieces cook at a similar rate.
• Brown the beef in batches if the casserole is crowded, rather than letting it steam.
• Keep the heat gentle during the covered simmer to help the beef become tender.
• Taste the stock before adding much salt, as stock cubes can already be salty.
• Mix flour or cornflour with a ladleful of sauce before returning it to the pot to thicken.

Variations

• Use plain flour: Choose it instead of cornflour to thicken the stew.
• Choose vegetable stock: Use the vegetable cubes for a different savoury base.
• Choose beef stock: Use beef cubes for a fuller meat flavour.
• Skip the chocolate: Leave it out if you prefer not to use the optional ingredient.
• Adjust the vinegar: Omit the optional vinegar or add it to taste near the end.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the casserole: The beef may steam rather than brown; brown it in batches if needed.
• Boiling hard: A vigorous boil can make the cooking uneven; keep the stew at a gentle simmer.
• Adding mushrooms too early: They may become overly soft; add them for the final 15 minutes.
• Thickening directly in the pot: Dry flour can clump; first mix it with a ladleful of sauce.
• Serving firm beef: If a knife meets resistance, continue the covered cooking and test again.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly and keep them in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan until piping hot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Frequently asked questions