A Classic French Beef Bourguignon Recipe with a Fragrant Makeover
Rich, slow-cooked and deeply comforting, beef bourguignon is a classic French stew made with red wine, bacon and tender braised beef. This version adds five-spice, fresh ginger and black vinegar, inspired by Hong Shao Niu Rou, a much-loved Chinese slow-cooked beef dish, to bring a subtle aromatic warmth and depth. A fragrant twist has been added to a much-loved classic, which is familiar in structure, yet new depth and character have been gently added to it.
What is a Classic Beef Bourguignon Recipe?
Traditional beef bourguignon is a slow-cooked French beef stew with red wine, often from the Burgundy region. It’s classically flavoured with beef stock, garlic, bacon lardons, carrots, shallot onions, fresh herbs, and mushrooms. Known as bœuf bourguignon or Beef Burgundy, this dish is famous for its depth of flavour and tender texture.
What to Serve with 5-Spice Beef Bourguignon
While mashed potatoes and green beans are traditional accompaniments to beef bourguignon, this fusion version pairs beautifully with Wasabi Mash Potatoes with Crispy Chili Oil and a refreshing Cashew Sesame Lime Coleslaw from Flaevor. The result is a meal that is warming and comforting, with layers of flavour and a quietly original character.
Tip: If Chinese black vinegar is unavailable, balsamic vinegar makes an excellent substitute, adding a similar tangy richness to the dish.
Explore More Recipes on Flaevor
Beef Bourguignon with Five-Spice and Ginger (A Fragrant Twist on a Classic)
Ingredients
- 900g beef braising steak, cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 large onion, chopped into chunks
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 140g bacon lardons
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 2 tsp five-spice powder
- 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 1 tsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar, or 1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 large rosemary twig, chopped
- 500ml red wine
- 400ml beef stock
- 250g chestnut mushrooms, cut into halves
- 250g small round shallot onions, peeled
- Parsley leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C / 150°C fan forced
- Season the flour with salt and use to coat the beef chunks. Fry the beef in a little oil over a high heat until browned all over (but not cooked through), remove from the pan and set aside.
- In a cast iron or casserole dish, fry the bacon lardons until crisp, remove from the pan and set aside with the beef.
- Fry the onions in the bacon fat until soft, then add the garlic, ginger, chilli flakes and 5-spice. Be careful not to burn the spices.
- Return the beef and bacon lardons to the pot with the onions and spices, along with the red wine, beef stock, black vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and rosemary. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat, cover and place in the oven to cook for 45 minutes.
- While the beef is cooking, fry the chestnut mushrooms and shallots in a little oil and salt until lightly browned. Remove from the heat and set to one side.
- After the first 45 minutes, remove the beef from the oven, gently stir in the mushrooms and shallots and return to the oven for a further 45 minutes.
- Divide into bowls and garnish with a little parsley. Optional: Serve with Wasabi Mash Potato and Sesame-Lime Carrot Salad.
