O
h, you are going to love this one, tastebud—and trust me, you don’t need to wait for a chilly Parisian evening to feel like you’re sitting at a rustic wooden table somewhere in Burgundy. I’m bringing all that slow-cooked, wine-rich, melt-in-your-mouth French magic straight to your South African kitchen—just in time for Bastille Day, baby.
Bastille Day Beef Bourguignon (Yes, With a Huguenot Twist)
Now before you panic—“Isn’t this that fancy French stew that takes 16 hours and an entire Bordeaux vineyard to make?” —breathe. This is not that version of Beef Bourguignon. This is the “it’s Wednesday, I have guests coming, and I need to look like I have my life together” version. And yes, it tastes just as rich, silky, and dramatic as the textbook version Julia Child would’ve written a love letter to.
✨ Because here’s the thing about Beef Bourguignon: It sounds like it should be fussy. But it’s really just a glorified beef stew with good manners and better wine. The kind of dish that makes your house smell like a five-star bistro but secretly lets you chill in your slippers while it bubbles away in the oven.
The Story Behind the Beef Bourguignon Stew
Here in South Africa, Bastille Day isn’t just a French holiday—it’s a celebration of the French Huguenot spirit. The rebels. The dreamers. The folks who packed up their copper pots and grapevines and came to the Cape with nothing but a prayer and a passion for good food and wine. They brought their cheese. They brought their bread. And yes—they brought their Bourguignon vibes.
So while this dish may have been born in Burgundy, it’s been lovingly adopted, adapted, and perfected by generations of French-South Africans who know that wine + beef + thyme = culinary gold.
What Makes This One Different?
🍷 We’re using a local Pinot Noir instead of Burgundy—because when in Franschhoek…
🥕 We’re leaning into the veggies, the aromatics, and that deeply savoury broth that makes everything taste like it’s been slow-danced to perfection.
💡 And we’re not overcomplicating it. One pot. No drama. Maximum “ooh la la.”
Think:
🥩 Chunky, tender beef
🧄 Garlic, herbs, red wine
🥕 Carrots, mushrooms, pearl onions
🔥 All simmered together until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon and soft enough to break your willpower.
You serve it with creamy or chunky mash, crusty bread, or even some South African pap if you’re feeling fusion-y. Just don’t forget the extra wine because this baby uses a WHOLE bottle of Pinot Noir and it’s amazing.
Why You’ll Love This Beef Bourguignon
This is one of those dishes. The “tastes better the next day” kind. The “I made it for Bastille Day, and everyone begged for the recipe” kind. The “looks fancy, but really, I just threw it in the oven and watched series” kind.
It’s cozy, it’s classic, it’s kind of rebellious—and isn’t that exactly what Bastille Day is about?
So get ready to raise a glass, stir a pot, and embrace your inner French-South African foodie rebel. Vive la révolution… and vive le Bourguignon! 🍷
Beef Bourguignon
Equipment
- 1 large pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
Beef Bourguignon
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 200 grams diced bacon or diced pancetta
- 800 grams beef chuck or stewing beef
- 3 large carrots peeled and sliced into chunks
- 15 pickling onions peeled and ends removed
- 250 grams button mushrooms
- 2 large bay leaves
- 3 large garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme about 4-6 sprigs thyme
- 2 tbsp Maille Dijon Mustard
- 50 grams tomato paste
- 2 tbsp butter optional
- 6 tbsp flour
- 750 ml Pinot Noir good quality, or Pinotage
- 700ml/3 cups beef stock
- 1 tsp salt or salt to taste
- 2 tbsp Italian parsley roughly chopped
Mustard Mash
- 1 kg potatoes peeled and quartered
- 4 tbsp butter cubed
- 1 cup milk warmed
- 2-3 tbsp Maille Wholegrain Mustard or Dijon Mustard
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Beef Bourguinon
- Preheat the oven to 180℃/350℉.
- Bring a large pot, or oven proof Dutch oven/pot, to a medium-high heat. Add the oil and bacon and sauté until browned. Remove the bacon and set aside.
- In the same pot, add the beef and brown on all sides. Remove the beef and set aside. Notes: the beef does not need to be fully cooked, just browned.
- Reduce the heat to medium, and to the same pot, add the onions, carrots and mushrooms. Sauté until the vegetables start releasing some moisture and gently loosen any flavour sticking to the base of the pot.
- Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaves, Dijon mustard and tomato paste. Sauté for about 2 minutes or until the tomato paste starts to darken slightly.
- Add the butter and flour. Saute until the flour starts to brown lightly, about 2 minutes. Note: be careful to not let the flavours at the base of the pot don't darken too much or burn.
- Add the beef and bacon back in and stir. Then add the wine, beef stock and 1 tsp salt. Stir and loosen any flavour that might be sticking to the base of the pot.
- Cover and place the pot in the oven. Bake for 90 minutes. Note: You can finish off the stew on the stove top, just reduce the heat to low and simmer for 75-90 minutes. While the stew is in the oven/stovetop you can prepare the mash or starch of your choice.
- Add any additional slat if needed and serve with mash, crusty bread, rice or pap and garnish with freshly chopped parsley - te lekker!
Mustard Mash
- To a medium pot, add the quartered potatoes and fill with cold water. Bring to a boil and drain properly once the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- In the same pot, mash the potatoes using a potato masher or potato press masher. Mash until you've achieved your desired texture. Note: If you prefer extra smooth mash then transfer the potatoes to a large flat based bowl and press the mash through a sieve.
- Add the all the butter and mix until fully melted. Then gradually pour in the warm milk until you've reached your desired consistency.
- Add the mustard and salt to taste.