Bœuf Blanquette Bourguignon

Red Wine-Braised Beef with Mushrooms and Sour Cream

Serves 6–8 | Prep: 40 minutes | Marinate: 2–3 hours | Braise: approximately 90 minutes, or until tender

A comforting French country beef stew combining the deep flavors of traditional Bœuf Bourguignon with the creamy character of a blanquette. Tender chunks of beef are marinated in red wine, browned, and slowly braised with carrots, celery, onions, mushrooms, and rosemary. Sour cream gives the finished sauce its distinctive richness and silky texture.

Ingredients

• 2½ lb beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch pieces

• 2 cups dry red wine

• 3 carrots, peeled and diced

• 2 stalks celery, diced

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 8 oz button mushrooms, thickly sliced

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 cup chicken broth

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

• ½ cup sour cream

• 1 Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced

Preparation

Marinate the beef. Place the beef in a bowl with the red wine. Cover and refrigerate for 2–3 hours. Drain the beef, reserving the wine, and pat the meat thoroughly dry with paper towels.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).

Brown the beef. Heat some of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in two batches, turning to sear all sides. Transfer to a bowl, retaining any accumulated juices.

Sauté the vegetables. In the same Dutch oven, cook the carrots and celery for 3–4 minutes. Add the onion and continue cooking for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rosemary and garlic and cook for another 2–3 minutes.

Brown the mushrooms. Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms in a separate skillet with the butter and remaining olive oil until lightly browned.

Combine the ingredients. Return the beef and its juices to the Dutch oven. Add the mushrooms and reserved red wine. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring to loosen the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Prepare the creamy sauce. Whisk the flour into the cold chicken broth until smooth. Gradually stir the mixture into the Dutch oven. Reduce the heat, then stir in the ½ cup sour cream, blending gently into the sauce. Avoid vigorous boiling after adding the sour cream to minimize curdling.

Add the potato. Stir in the diced Yukon Gold potato, distributing it evenly among the beef and vegetables.

Braise. Cover the Dutch oven and transfer it to the preheated 325°F oven. Cook for approximately 90 minutes, checking and stirring gently every 20 minutes. The sauce should simmer quietly, and the beef should become fork-tender. Continue braising if necessary, adding a little broth or water if the sauce becomes too thick.

Serve. Spoon the beef and creamy sauce over broad ribbon pasta, such as mafaldine or pappardelle.