Instant Pot Boeuf Bourguignon

Laura B

This is my “tweak” of another blogger’s adaptation of Julia Child’s French classic for the Instant Pot. I doubt I would have ever tried the original recipe with its many steps, pots, pans, bowls, and hours; but this version is do-able and delicieuse!

Like most stews, this originated as a peasant dish, braising tough meat in rich liquid over fire until tender and flavorful. It became popular in French restaurants in the early 1900s and resembled a roast or brisket; Julia is credited with the modern version using smaller cuts of beef.

  • 1-2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lbs chuck or stew beef, cut into chunks
  • 6 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 5 to 8 oz fresh small mushrooms, sliced or quartered
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced into chunks
  • 1 1/2 cups red wine
  • 1 cup beef stock [may not need all]
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • diced flat-leaf parsley to garnish (optional)

    [These amounts fit in my 3 quart Instant Pot; feel free to double if yours is a larger size. Julia’s recipe called for pearl onions and mushrooms to be sauteed separately in butter and added at the end; I opted for diced onion and found that both veggies did fine added at the beginning and cooked in bacon fat. I am Southern, after all.]
  1. Set Instant Pot to Saute and add enough oil to coat bottom of pot. Pat beef dry with paper towel, sear on all sides in batches seasoned liberally with salt and pepper; remove and set aside. Do not drain pot.
  2. Cook bacon in pot until no longer pink. Add onion, mushrooms, and 2 cloves minced garlic and saute until onions have softened somewhat, stirring and scraping any fond from bottom of pot.
  3. Cancel Saute, stir in flour until smooth and add carrots, wine, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf; stir to combine. Add beef back to pot, then pour in stock until beef is not quite covered.
  4. Set Instant Pot to Pressure Cook for 20 minutes, apply lid, and seal. Walk away and enjoy the heavenly aroma as the pot does its magic.
  5. When time is up, allow natural release for 10 minutes, then release remaining pressure and remove lid when steam stops.
  6. Add butter and last clove minced garlic; stir and allow sauce to rest and thicken (10-15 minutes). Remove bay leaf during this step if possible. Taste and add additional salt/pepper if needed.
  7. Garnish with parsley if desired and serve with potatoes, rice, noodles, or crusty bread (to soak up the decadent sauce!)
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