Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon Recipe

I reimagined the classic Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon Recipe by blending Ina Garten and Julia Child techniques, and the approach I landed on is nothing like what you expect.

I never thought a classic could be this fast until I stubbornly shoved it in my pressure cooker. My Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon Recipe reads like something Ina and Julia might argue over, all rich red wine notes and tender meat that falls apart without trying too hard.

Crisp bacon and earthy cremini mushrooms show up at just the right time, so you keep going back for one more forkful. If you like Instant Pot Dinner Recipes but worry they lack soul, this one proves depth doesn’t need forever.

Try it and be prepared to defend your seconds like it’s a sport.

Ingredients

• Beef chuck: rich in protein and iron, makes stew hearty, becomes tender with slow cooking.
• Bacon: adds smoky salty fat, lots of flavor and umami, not very lean though.
• Mushrooms: low calorie, earthy umami punch, soak up wine and broth flavors well.
• Red wine: gives acidity and fruitiness, tannins deepen flavor and help deglaze pan.
• Carrots: sweet, add fiber and vitamin A, they balance savory beef taste nicely.
• Garlic: sharp aromatic bite, offers antioxidants, small amounts boost depth of flavor.
• Parsley: fresh bright herb, adds color and a clean finish, some vitamin K too.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
• 4 slices bacon, chopped (about 4 ounces) or pancetta, fat reserved
• 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 12 small pearl onions, peeled or about 1 cup frozen pearl onions
• 8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, halved
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups dry red wine, Burgundy or Pinot Noir works best
• 1 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, for finishing mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water, optional for thickening
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

How to Make this

1. Pat the beef dry, season with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper, then toss the cubes in the 1/4 cup flour until lightly coated; shake off excess flour.

2. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté on high, add 2 tablespoons oil and the chopped bacon, cook until the bacon is crisp and the fat renders, then remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve; leave about 1 tablespoon fat in the pot.

3. In batches so you don’t crowd the pot, brown the floured beef cubes 2 to 3 minutes per side until nicely seared, transfer browned beef to a plate as you go.

4. Add the chopped yellow onion and carrots to the pot and sauté 3 to 4 minutes until softened, stir in the pearl onions, then add the minced garlic and 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook 30 seconds to bloom the flavors.

5. Pour in the 1 1/2 cups dry red wine and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon, let the wine reduce 2 minutes then add 1 1/2 cups beef broth, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, the cooked bacon, the browned beef, 3 sprigs thyme and 1 bay leaf.

6. Lock the lid, set the Instant Pot to Manual/High pressure for 35 minutes, when the cook time ends let the pressure release naturally for 10 to 15 minutes then quick release any remaining pressure and open the lid.

7. While the stew rests, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a skillet and sauté the halved mushrooms until golden and any liquid has evaporated, season lightly with salt and pepper.

8. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf, skim excess fat if you like, then stir in the sautéed mushrooms and the reserved bacon; taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

9. If you want a thicker sauce mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water, stir the slurry into the pot and set Instant Pot to Sauté, simmer 1 to 2 minutes until thickened; finish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and serve hot.

10. Leftovers get better the next day, reheat gently and add a splash of beef broth if the sauce tightens up.

Equipment Needed

1. Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker youll use it to brown then pressure cook the stew
2. Large skillet for sautéing the mushrooms
3. Wooden spoon for scraping up browned bits and stirring
4. Slotted spoon to lift out the crisp bacon
5. Tongs for searing and moving the beef cubes
6. Cutting board and chefs knife for trimming and chopping
7. Mixing bowl or shallow plate for dredging the beef in flour and holding browned meat
8. Measuring cups and spoons plus a small bowl and fork or whisk for the cornstarch slurry
9. Ladle or large serving spoon for finishing and serving the stew

FAQ

Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Beef chuck: swap with beef stew meat (same weight) or boneless short ribs; short ribs are fattier so brown longer, they give a richer sauce.
• Dry red wine: use 1 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth plus 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or 1/2 cup unsweetened grape juice plus 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; non alcoholic red wine works too, just avoid sweet varieties.
• Bacon/pancetta: use 4 ounces smoked ham, lardons, or turkey bacon, or omit and add 1 tablespoon butter plus 1 teaspoon smoked paprika for depth; try to keep some rendered fat for browning.
• Mushrooms: swap cremini with shiitake or rehydrated dried porcini (save the soaking liquid), or use canned mushrooms if needed, fresh ones give best texture.

Pro Tips

1) Salt the beef early, at least 30 minutes before searing, then pat it very dry. That little head start helps the salt get into the meat and a dry surface gives you a much nicer brown, you wont get that gray stew color.

2) Don’t crowd the pot when browning. Do it in batches so each piece can actually sear, and keep about a tablespoon of fat in the pot to build flavor. When you add the wine, scrape the bottom hard to lift those browned bits, they make the sauce taste way better.

3) Cook the mushrooms and bacon mostly separate from the main braise. Sauté the mushrooms until their liquid is gone and the bacon until crisp, then add them at the end so they stay flavorful and textured instead of turning mushy.

4) Let the pressure release naturally for a bit and rest the stew before you thicken or salt aggressively. Natural release relaxes the meat so its more tender, and finishing salt after tastes more accurate. If you want cleaner-looking gravy, chill it briefly and skim the fat or add a small cornstarch slurry only at the very end.