When to Add Wine to Beef Stew

Beef Stew in Red Wine is a comfort food classic. Tender beef and vegetables are braised in a hearty, rich and delicious wine sauce. This one pot French beef stew or Beef Bourguignon is the best cozy yet elegant dish, perfect for everyday meals, special occasions and even holidays.

Make this classic French stew recipe in the oven or the slow cooker. Directions for both are provided. If you are looking for an easy and quick meltingly tender beef stew recipe, you must check my Instant Pot Beef Stew!

Instructions To Make This Classic Stew In The Oven And The Crock Pot Are Provided In The Recipe Card Below

This classic French beef stew in red wine also known as beef bourguignon, is brimming with flavor and definitely a family favorite meal. This stew is made with beef chuck, vegetables and herbs simmered in red wine.

The tender beef and rich meaty gravy are incredibly flavorful. I love serving it over creamy polenta, noodles, rice, grits or mashed potatoes (take a look at my favorite Instant Pot mashed potatoes and this creamy slow cooker mashed potatoes recipe). A nice piece of crusty bread to soak up the tasty gravy is also a great way to enjoy this dish.

• Beef: I use beef chuck cut into cubes. try not to get meat sold as "stew meat" as you can't really know exactly what part of the beef you are getting. Some pieces may not be as tender as others.
• Onions and Carrots: You can use brown or yellow onions as part of the aromatics. I add frozen pearl onions almost at the end of the cooking.
• Mushrooms: you can use white button mushrooms, crimini or baby bellas.
• Peas: I use frozen peas as they are available year round.
• Garlic: I use both fresh garlic and garlic powder.
• Oil: I use olive oil but any mild oil can be used.
• Wine: Use any dry wine like Pinot Noir, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Flour: i use all purpose flour. The flour helps to thicken the gravy so don't skip it. Use gluten free flour if preferred.
• Tomato Paste: adds depth of flavor and color.
• Broth: Use chicken or beef broth. use low sodium if you prefer.
• Herbs and Seasonings: Thyme (fresh or dried), bay leaves, salt and ground black pepper.
• Butter: I usually use unsalted butter but if you have salted butter at home, you can use that as well.

• Prepare: Preheat the oven.
• Season and dredge: Pat the beef dry with paper towels; this will help the meat brown nicely. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Toss the beef with flour right before you are ready to sear the meat.
• Sear the beef: In an oven safe pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil. Brown the beef. You may need to do this in batches not to overcrowd the pot. Transfer to a plate. Do not skip searing the meat. A good stew is made by building layers of flavor and browning is important.
• Sauté aromatics: Add the onions and carrots and sauté until the onions become translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for another 1 – 2 minutes.
• Deglaze: Add the red wine and bring to a boil scrapping the bottom of the pan to release the brown bits. Cook on medium high heat for about 5 minutes.
• Add other ingredients: Add the tomato paste and mix well. Return the beef to the pot with all the collected juices. Add the broth, the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and cover the pot.
• Bake: Place the pot in the oven and cook for about 1 hour or until the beef is tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.
• Sauté Mushrooms: In a medium sauté pan, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and sauté for about 8 minutes or until the mushrooms are lightly brown. Remove from the heat.
• Add Veggies: Add the mushrooms, whole onions and peas to the stew. Stir to combine. Return the pot to the oven and cook for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and adjust the seasoning. Serve.

Searing The Beef Until Golden Brown Is A Must

• When cooking the beef stew in the slow cooker you must brown your beef and vegetables before adding them to the crock pot.
• You can use a cast iron skillet to get a good sear on the beef.
• I like to deglaze the pot/skillet where the beef was seared with wine to take advantage of all the flavor built up at the bottom.
• Transfer the beef, vegetables and wine to the crock pot and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, adding the mushrooms and onions one hour before the stew is done.

Absolutely! Actually beef stew tastes better the day after is made. Cool completely and store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

This stew can be reheated in the stove top over low heat. In the oven, covered or in the microwave.

Beef stew freezes well. Cool it completely before storing in an airtight container or in freezer safe resealable bags. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

One of the best cuts of beef to make beef stew is chuck roast, which is a tough cut of meat. Beef chuck needs to be cooked for a long period of time to become tender. Rushing the cooking process will result in tough meat.

Stay away from pricier cuts of beef like sirloin or strip steak. These cuts get tough when cooked for long time.

Beef Bourguignon or French stew takes a bit of time and effort to make but, I can guarantee it will be worth it.

Beef Stew in red wine Recipe Tips

• Use any red wine you would drink (because most likely, if you are like me – you will drink the left over wine!) Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet or any red blend are good options.
• You can swap ingredients to your taste. Don't like mushrooms? Skip them! Can't find pearl onions? No problem!
• You can add small red or white potatoes to the stew if you wish.
• Stay away from meat packages sold as "stew beef". Meat packers often mix beef from different areas which creates a problem when trying to cook the meat until tender.
• You can use this Slow Cooker Beef Bone Broth in this recipe.

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Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings 6 servings

• ▢ 2 ½ to 3 pounds of beef chuck cut into 1-inch cubes
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 tablespoon of olive oil or more if needed
• ▢ 1 large onion chopped
• ▢ 4 carrots sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• ▢ 2 cups red wine
• ▢ 1 cup chicken broth or beef broth, or more if needed
• ▢ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ▢ 4 sprigs of thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 8 ounces fresh white mushrooms, stems discarded and caps sliced thick
• ▢ 6 – 8 ounces frozen peas
• ▢ 6 – 8 ounces frozen whole onions

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit

• Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Toss the beef with the flour (do not flour the beef until you are ready to brown it).

• Coat a large, wide pan or Dutch oven with olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Add the flour-coated beef to the hot pan in batches and in a single layer making sure you do not over crowd the pot. Sear on all sides until the beef turns golden brown. Remove the seared beef to a plate and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

• Add more oil to the pan or Dutch oven if needed. Add the onions and carrots and sauté for about 5-7 minutes or until the onions become translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for another 1 – 2 minutes.

• Add the red wine and bring to a boil scrapping the bottom of the pan to release the brown bits. Cook on medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Return the beef to the pot with all the collected juices. Add the broth (enough to cover the meat). Add the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and cover the pot.

• Place the pot in the oven and cook for about 1 hour or until the beef is tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.

• In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and sauté for about 8 minutes or until the mushrooms are lightly brown. Remove from the heat.

• Add the mushrooms, whole onions and peas to the stew. Stir to combine. Return the pot to the oven and cook for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and adjust the seasoning.

• Remove bay leaves and serve.

To Cook in the Crock Pot:

• After adding the tomato paste to the vegetable – wine mixture, place the seared beef cubes into the crockpot. Pour the vegetable-wine mixture over the beef and mix well to combine. Add enough broth to cover the beef. Cook on low for 6 hours.

• In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and sauté for about 8 minutes or until the mushrooms are lightly brown. Remove from the heat.

• Add the mushrooms, whole onions and peas to the crockpot. Stir to combine and cook on low for 1 hour.

Calories: 603 kcal (30%) Carbohydrates: 17 g (6%) Protein: 46 g (92%) Fat: 32 g (49%) Saturated Fat: 14 g (88%) Cholesterol: 166 mg (55%) Sodium: 384 mg (17%) Potassium: 1247 mg (36%) Fiber: 2 g (8%) Sugar: 5 g (6%) Vitamin A: 7010 IU (140%) Vitamin C: 12.2 mg (15%) Calcium: 78 mg (8%) Iron: 6 mg (33%)

* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Beef Stew in Red Wine

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