It's a cold Tuesday and you want the kind of dinner that makes the kitchen smell like a restaurant. This is that pot. Anthony Bourdain's beef stew recipe leans on bacon, red wine and a long slow braise, and it rewards you with meat that gives way under a spoon.
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The trade-off is time, not effort. You brown the beef properly, deglaze with wine, and then mostly leave it alone. That's the whole trick.
I've made this in a Dutch oven on a Sunday and in a rental kitchen with one dull knife. It works both ways. Just don't rush the browning, because that dark crust is where the flavor lives.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
3 lb (1.35 kg) beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
Chuck is the right cut because the marbling melts into the sauce. If chuck is sold out, use boneless short rib, which is richer but takes about 20 minutes longer to tenderize.
6 oz (170 g) thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Bacon builds the smoky base and its fat sears the beef. Pancetta works as a swap, but skip anything maple-cured because the sweetness fights the wine.
2 medium yellow onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
Yellow onions go soft and sweet in a long braise. Red onions turn the sauce an odd purple, so save those for salad.
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds
Carrots hold their shape for the full cook time. If you only have parsnips, use them, but add them 10 minutes later since they soften faster.
8 oz (225 g) cremini mushrooms, quartered
Creminis add meaty depth without turning slimy. White button mushrooms are fine; just don't slice them thin or they'll disappear.
3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour
Flour thickens the braise and helps the beef brown. For gluten-free, swap in 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch whisked into the wine instead.
2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
Tomato paste adds body and a subtle sweetness. Buy it in a tube if you can, because a can goes moldy before you use it up.
2 1/2 cups (600 ml) dry red wine, such as Côtes du Rhône
Use a wine you'd actually drink, since the alcohol cooks down and the flavor concentrates. A dry cider works if you want less booze.
2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef broth
Broth stretches the sauce without watering it down. If yours is salty, use water for half of it and taste before seasoning.
4 cloves garlic, smashed
Smashed garlic releases flavor slowly and won't burn. Garlic powder is not a substitute here, because it turns bitter in a long braise.
2 bay leaves, 4 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper
Tie the herbs with twine so you can fish them out. Dried thyme works at half the amount if fresh is unavailable.
Tips & Tricks
- Pat the beef bone dry before searing. Wet meat steams instead of browning, and you lose the crust that gives this stew its color.
- Brown in batches and don't crowd the pot. Two batches takes 6 extra minutes but doubles the flavor.
- Simmer, don't boil. A hard boil makes chuck stringy and tough, so keep it at a lazy bubble.
- Salt at the end. The wine, bacon and broth all carry salt, so taste first and adjust last.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Dry and season the beef
Pat the beef chunks dry with paper towels and season with the salt and pepper. Let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes so they cook evenly.
2. Render the bacon
Set a Dutch oven over medium heat (about 350°F / 175°C on the burner dial) and cook the bacon for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp and the fat is glossy. Scoop it out and leave the fat behind.
3. Sear the beef
Raise the heat to medium-high (about 400°F / 205°C) and brown the beef in two batches, 4 to 5 minutes per side, until deeply golden brown. Pull it out with the bacon.
4. Soften the vegetables
Lower the heat to medium (350°F / 175°C) and cook the onions and carrots for 6 minutes until the onions turn translucent. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook 4 minutes more until the mushrooms release their liquid.
5. Build the base
Stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook for 2 minutes until it darkens to brick red. Pour in the wine and scrape the bottom of the pot until every brown bit lifts.
6. Braise low and slow
Return the beef and bacon, add the broth, bay leaves and thyme, and bring to a bare simmer (about 200°F / 93°C). Cover and cook for 2 hours, until the beef shreds with a fork and the sauce coats a spoon.
7. Finish the sauce
Fish out the bay leaves and thyme stems. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes at 200°F / 93°C until the sauce bubbles at the edges and thickens enough to hold a line. Taste and season.
8. Rest before serving
Let the pot sit off the heat for 10 minutes so the sauce settles. Serve with mashed potatoes or crusty bread.
Delicious Variations
Stout and Mushroom
Swap the red wine for a dark stout and add an extra 4 oz of mushrooms for a maltier, winterier pot.
Short Rib Version
Use bone-in short ribs instead of chuck and cook 30 minutes longer; the bones give the sauce a silkier body.
Sunday Gravy Style
Add 1 tbsp soy sauce and a parmesan rind for a darker, saltier sauce that's great over polenta.
How to Store Anthony Bourdain's Beef Stew Recipe
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days; the flavor improves by day two.
Freezer
Freeze in portions for up to 3 months, leaving 1 inch of headspace for expansion.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low (about 300°F / 150°C) for 10 minutes, adding a splash of broth if it looks thick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What cut of beef is best for stew?
Chuck is the best cut because its marbling breaks down into a tender, rich sauce. Short rib is the next best choice, but it needs a longer cook time.
Q: Can I make Anthony Bourdain's beef stew without wine?
Yes, you can replace the wine with an equal amount of beef broth plus 1 tbsp red wine vinegar. The stew will taste a little less deep, so add an extra bay leaf.
Q: How long should beef stew simmer?
Plan on about 2 hours at a bare simmer for chuck cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks. The meat is done when a fork slides in with no resistance.
Q: Why is my beef stew tough?
Tough stew usually means it was boiled instead of simmered, or it wasn't cooked long enough. Keep the heat low and give it another 30 minutes before judging.
Q: Can I make this beef stew in a slow cooker?
Yes, but brown the beef and bacon on the stove first, then cook everything on low for 7 to 8 hours. Skipping the sear gives you a flatter, paler stew.
Make this pot on the next gray day and let the smell do the convincing. Start with the browning and don't skip the wine. Keep it small, keep it going.
Anthony Bourdain's Beef Stew Recipe
Anthony Bourdain's beef stew recipe builds a dark, wine-rich braise with fork-tender chuck, bacon and mushrooms for a Sunday dinner that tastes like a Paris bistro.
🧂 Ingredients
- 3 lb (1.35 kg) beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 6 oz (170 g) thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds
- 8 oz (225 g) cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
- 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) dry red wine, such as Côtes du Rhône
- 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef broth
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 bay leaves, 4 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper
📋 Instructions
- 1Dry and season the beef — Pat the beef chunks dry with paper towels and season with the salt and pepper. Let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes so they cook evenly.
- 2Render the bacon — Set a Dutch oven over medium heat (about 350°F / 175°C on the burner dial) and cook the bacon for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp and the fat is glossy. Scoop it out and leave the fat behind.
- 3Sear the beef — Raise the heat to medium-high (about 400°F / 205°C) and brown the beef in two batches, 4 to 5 minutes per side, until deeply golden brown. Pull it out with the bacon.
- 4Soften the vegetables — Lower the heat to medium (350°F / 175°C) and cook the onions and carrots for 6 minutes until the onions turn translucent. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook 4 minutes more until the mushrooms release their liquid.
- 5Build the base — Stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook for 2 minutes until it darkens to brick red. Pour in the wine and scrape the bottom of the pot until every brown bit lifts.
- 6Braise low and slow — Return the beef and bacon, add the broth, bay leaves and thyme, and bring to a bare simmer (about 200°F / 93°C). Cover and cook for 2 hours, until the beef shreds with a fork and the sauce coats a spoon.
- 7Finish the sauce — Fish out the bay leaves and thyme stems. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes at 200°F / 93°C until the sauce bubbles at the edges and thickens enough to hold a line. Taste and season.
- 8Rest before serving — Let the pot sit off the heat for 10 minutes so the sauce settles. Serve with mashed potatoes or crusty bread.
Mira writes about everyday money habits for people who never got a straight answer about budgeting. Her angle is small, repeatable routines over dramatic overhauls, and she tests every tip on her own household first. She favors plain numbers, real receipts, and admitting when something did not work.
