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Pork Bourguignon: French Pork Stew

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This Pork Bourguignon is a rich French pork stew with tender pork shoulder, smoky bacon, browned mushrooms, and carrots simmered in a full-bodied red wine sauce. Serve it over creamy mashed potatoes for a warm and comforting dinner.
Pork Bourguignon with tender pork, carrots, and mushrooms in a rich, glossy red wine sauce.
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Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 5 ounces (150 g) smoked bacon, chopped
  • 2 1/2 pounds (1.1 kg) boneless pork shoulder, cut into large even pieces
  • Salt and black pepper for seasoning the pork
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 2 large yellow onion chopped
  • 2 medium carrots sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups dry red wine
  • 2 cups chicken broth or beef broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 10 ounces (300 g) small mushrooms, left whole or halved if large
  • 1/3 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Brown the bacon: Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until nicely browned and some of the fat has rendered. Transfer the bacon to a plate, leaving the drippings in the skillet.
  • Season the pork: Pat the pork dry with paper towels, then season the pieces evenly with salt and black pepper.
  • Sear the pork: Add the pork to the hot skillet in a single layer and brown it on several sides, turning as needed. The pork does not need to cook through. Transfer it to a plate once nicely golden.
  • Cook the vegetables: Add the butter, chopped onion, and sliced carrots to the same skillet. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables begin to soften, stirring occasionally and picking up the browned flavor left in the pan.
  • Add the garlic and tomato paste: Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant and the tomato paste begins to deepen slightly in color.
  • Add the flour: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir well until no dry patches remain. Cook for about 1 minute so the flour blends into the base of the sauce.
  • Add the wine and broth: Slowly pour in the red wine, stirring and scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen the browned bits. Pour in the broth and stir until the sauce is smooth.
  • Return the pork and bacon: Add the browned pork and bacon back to the skillet. Stir in the bay leaves and thyme, then bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
  • Simmer until tender: Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the pork is tender when tested with a fork. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil.
  • Brown the mushrooms: While the pork simmers, place the mushrooms in a separate skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until they are golden on several sides and have developed a meaty texture.
  • Finish the stew: Add the browned mushrooms to the pork bourguignon, then sprinkle in 1/3 teaspoon salt. Simmer uncovered for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mushrooms are warmed through and the red wine sauce is thick and glossy. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
  • Serve: Spoon the pork bourguignon over creamy mashed potatoes, adding plenty of tender pork, mushrooms, carrots, and rich red wine sauce to each plate. Serve warm.

Notes

  • Keep the pork pieces fairly large and close in size so they become tender without drying out or falling apart too quickly.
  • Pat the pork dry before seasoning. Moisture on the surface makes it harder for the meat to develop a good golden crust.
  • Do not clean the skillet between the bacon, pork, and vegetables. The browned bits left on the bottom add important flavor to the finished sauce.
  • Use a dry red wine that tastes pleasant on its own. Avoid sweet wine and bottled cooking wine.
  • Brown the mushrooms separately and add them near the end so they stay golden and meaty instead of becoming overly soft in the sauce.
  • If the sauce is too thin, simmer the stew uncovered for a few extra minutes. If it becomes too thick, loosen it with a small splash of broth.
  • Pork bourguignon can be prepared a day ahead. The flavor becomes even deeper after the stew rests overnight in the refrigerator.
Pork Bourguignon with tender pork, carrots, and mushrooms in a rich, glossy red wine sauce.
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