WARMING STEW: Mary Berry’s recipe for beef bourguignon is sure to warm your cockles on a chilly day (Image: Getty)
Mary Berry’s take on the classic French beef bourguignon relies on one standout ingredient to bring the flavours alive – red wine. A full-bodied red not only adds depth but also forms the base of this indulgent winter stew.
Few things beat a steaming bowl of beef casserole on a cold, wet evening, and with clear guidance, anyone can make this hearty dish. In her Simple Comforts cookbook, Berry describes it as “the ultimate comfort stew with a warming, intense red wine flavour” that “doesn’t disappoint.”
The legendary cooking icon, celebrated for her warmth, expertise, approachable style, and decades of culinary mastery, reveals that the key to achieving maximum richness is to reduce the red wine first. She says this step creates “lovely richness” that elevates the entire dish.
MORE TASTY DISHESIngredients2 tablespoons oil900g stewing beef175g smoked streaky bacon1 large onion, thickly sliced2 garlic cloves, crushed450ml red wine40g flour4 tablespoons brandy600ml beef stockSalt and freshly ground black pepper1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped175g chestnut mushroomsButter12 small raw pickled onions2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
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Method
Preheat your oven to 160C/gas mark 3. Chop the bacon and cook it with onion and garlic in a pan until the bacon begins to colour, writes Angela Patrone on the Express.
In a separate pan, boil the red wine until it reduces by half. Sprinkle the flour over the bacon and onion mixture, then add the reduced wine, brandy, and half of the stock.
Stir until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil. Add the remaining stock, return the beef to the pan, season with salt, pepper, and thyme, then bring it to a boil again.
Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 1.5 to two hours. Near the end of cooking, halve the mushrooms and sauté them in butter over medium heat for around two minutes.
Add the peeled pickled onions to the mushrooms and toss together. Combine this mixture with the casserole and cook for another 40 minutes until the meat is tender.
Finish by sprinkling fresh parsley over the top and serve the stew piping hot. This rich, warming beef bourguignon is perfect straight from the oven for cosy winter dining.
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