Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon or Burgundy

Instant Pot beef bourguignon AKA Burgundy, a classic French stew cooked in a pressure cooker, the same slow-cooked taste in half of the time.

Buttered mushrooms and pearl onions are added for the final 5 minutes of the cooking process to give this delicious stew the final flourish of flavour and texture.

Pressure Cooker Beef Burgundy

French food has an undeserved reputation for being all picky and fancy when nothing could be further from the truth!

French cuisine is littered with simple and homely dishes like beef daube, petit pois a la Francaise coq au vin or its white wine equivalent coq au vin blanc.

Granted, they all sound very "lahdedah", but that's just the French language making the most simple of things sound glorious!

This version of beef bourguignon is cooked in an Instant Pot, which takes the cooking time of 3 hours plus down to about 80 minutes.

But you keep all of the slow-cooked flavour! The wet cooking environment also ensures that the beef stays moist and juicy.

This dish is also known as beef Burgundy, or, if you want, it is beef braised in red wine!

The rich and bold red wine sauce is partnered with smoky bacon, carrots, button mushrooms and pearl onions to give this classic stew a familiar feel.

Frequently Asked Questions

What cut of beef should I use?

I use beef chuck in this recipe, but any stewing beef would work really well.

Something like brisket or shin, and it will work out wonderfully. You could even use beef cheeks, but they have sadly rocketed in price in recent years.

What wine should I use?

Traditionally, this dish would be cooked with a medium-bodied red wine like Burgundy, hence the name.

I personally prefer a fuller-bodied wine like a merlot or syrah.

When cooking with wine, I stick by the simple idea that if I like to drink it, then cooking with it will be fine.

Do I have to use the brandy?

No, the brandy can be left out of this recipe. It will leave a flavour "gap", but it will still taste wonderful.

Can I throw the mushrooms and onions in and cook the dish altogether?

I would not do this; the mushrooms will become a soggy mess, and the onions will disappear.

The two-stage cooking process helps to give the dish a pleasing texture as well as flavour.

Can I use dried thyme?

Yes, replace the fresh thyme with half of a teaspoon of dried thyme.

Can I make this in advance?

Yes, this will sit fine in the fridge for 2-3 days, and will arguably get better with time. Simply reheat it in the Instant Pot, hob or oven.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve this Instant Pot beef bourguignon with a mash.

It is pictured here served with mashed potato. However, it is awesome with celeriac mash, another great option is swede and carrot mash.

Sticking with the potato vibe, straw potatoes make a wonderful left-field crunchy addition to this beef stew.

Another often-overlooked side that I love serving with stews and ragu is cheesy polenta!

If you wanted some greens, you could add some garlic green beans or some roasted tenderstem broccoli.

Of course, you could just chuck this in a bowl and serve it with a crusty French baguette!

Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon

I only name-check equipment brands if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Instant Pot or another form of pressure cooker. Timing may vary with other devices.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Stirring/serving spoons.
• Stovetop.
• 24cm or 10" frying pan.
• A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.