Ina Garten Filet of Beef Bourguignon

Ina Garten filet of beef bourguignon is an easy French-style beef dinner made with quickly seared filet, red wine, bacon and pearl onions, ready in 1 hour 15 minutes. This elegant weeknight dinner fits dinner party menus, cozy winter Sundays and make-ahead holiday meals, since the flavor deepens overnight.

Brown the filet slices hard but keep them very rare inside, because they finish cooking later in the hot sauce. Cook them through now and the beef turns gray and tough by the time you serve.

Ina Garten used to follow Julia Child's classic beef bourguignon, but stewing beef takes hours, so she rebuilt it around quick-seared filet. It cooks in about a quarter of the time and tastes fresher, and she says it's even better the next day.

Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999)

Ina Garten Filet of Beef Bourguignon

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Course: DinnerCuisine: American, FrenchDifficulty: Medium

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Calories

520

kcal

Tender seared filet slices simmer briefly in a glossy red wine sauce with bacon, pearl onions, carrots and browned mushrooms. A butter and flour paste thickens the sauce, so the beef stays juicy instead of stewed.

Ingredients

• 1 3-pound filet of beef, trimmed
  

• Kosher salt
  

• Freshly ground black pepper
  

• 3 to 4 tablespoons good olive oil
  

• 1/4 pound bacon, diced
  

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  

• 1 1/2 cups good dry red wine, such as Burgundy or Chianti
  

• 2 cups beef stock
  

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  

• 1 sprig fresh thyme
  

• 1/2 pound pearl onions, peeled
  

• 8 to 10 carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices
  

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
  

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  

• 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick (domestic or wild)
  

Directions

• Sear the filet: Cut the 3-pound filet crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices, then salt and pepper both sides. Sauté them in batches in 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side. They should be browned outside and very rare inside, so set them aside on a platter.
• Cook the bacon: In the same pan, cook the diced bacon over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until browned and crisp, then set it aside. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat, then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Build the sauce: Pour in the red wine and cook on high heat for 1 minute, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the beef stock, tomato paste, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then boil uncovered on medium-high heat for 10 minutes.
• Simmer the vegetables: Strain the sauce and return it to the pan, then add the pearl onions and carrots. Simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, until the sauce reduces and the vegetables are cooked.
• Thicken the sauce: Mash 2 tablespoons butter and the flour into a paste with a fork. Whisk it gently into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes until thickened.
• Brown the mushrooms: While the sauce simmers, sauté the mushrooms in 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a separate pan. They're ready after about 10 minutes, once browned and tender.
• Reheat and serve: Add the filet slices, mushrooms and bacon to the pan with the vegetables and sauce. Cover and reheat gently for 5 to 10 minutes without overcooking, then season to taste and serve right away.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, Cuisinart fine mesh strainer set, OXO 12-inch locking tongs, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make beef bourguignon ahead of time?

Yes, and it actually tastes better the second day. Refrigerate it in the pan, then heat the filets and sauce over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes until warmed through.

What's the easiest way to peel pearl onions?

Blanch them in boiling water for a minute or two first. The skins then slip right off, which saves a lot of fiddly peeling.

What kind of red wine should I use?

Use a good dry red like Burgundy or Chianti, since the wine is a main flavor in the sauce. If you wouldn't drink it, don't cook with it.

Can I use stewing beef instead of filet?

You can, but it's a different dish. Stewing beef needs hours of slow cooking to turn tender, while this version relies on quickly seared filet and finishes in a fraction of the time.

What's the most common mistake with this recipe?

Overcooking the beef is the big one. Sear the slices very rare, then warm them in the sauce for only 5 to 10 minutes so they stay tender.