French · main

Beef Bourguignon

Beef Bourguignon reads umami 8.9, richness 7.7 and salinity 5.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a French main, about 3 hr 33 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 9.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.8 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.7 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 7.9 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.9 · Richness 7.7 · Salinity 5.4 · Allium 3.5 · Sweetness 2.9 · Fruity 2.8 · Earthy 2.7 · Sourness 2.6 · Smoke 2.6 · Funk & Ferment 2.4 · Floral 1.6 · Bitterness 1.5 · Herbaceous 1.5 · Warm Spice 1.2 · Nutty 0.8 · Heat 0.7

What's in it (16)

• salt bacon — 113 g
• boneless beef chuck roast — 1361 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• carrots — 120 g
• garlic — 12 g
• tomato paste — 30 g
• all-purpose flour — 23 g
• dry red wine — 710 g
• beef broth — 473 g
• thyme — 4 g
• bay — 2 g
• cremini mushrooms — 454 g
• pearl onions — 284 g
• unsalted butter — 27 g

Time & effort: about 3 hr 33 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 151.9 kcal, 12 g protein, 8.2 g fat, 5.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Pat the beef dry and season all over with the salt and pepper. Set the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and the fat has rendered, 6-8 minutes; transfer the bacon to a bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
2. Working in two batches, sear the beef in the bacon fat over high heat until deeply browned on all sides, 3-4 minutes per side; transfer each batch to the bowl with the bacon.
3. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion and carrots to the pot, and saute until softened, 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it darkens slightly, 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, stir to coat, and cook until no raw flour remains, about 1 minute.
5. Deglaze the pot with the red wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, about 2 minutes. Return the beef and bacon to the pot along with the broth, thyme, and bay leaves, and bring to a simmer.
6. Cover the pot and braise in a 325 F oven until the beef is fork-tender, 2.5 to 3 hours.
7. Remove the pot from the oven and discard the bay leaves. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and saute the mushrooms until deeply golden, 6-8 minutes.
8. Add the pearl onions to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and lightly caramelized, 3-4 minutes.
9. Stir the mushrooms and pearl onions into the stew and simmer uncovered until the sauce is glossy and slightly thickened, 8-10 minutes.
10. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, then serve hot over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Red Wine Braised Beef Stew — French
• Beef Potjiekos — South African · Boerekos
• Guinness Beef Stew with Pearl Onions — Irish
• Rinderroulade (Beef Roulades) — German
• Classic Beef Bolognese with Tagliatelle — Italian

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.