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When it’s cold and festive season is creeping in, I crave a slow, winey braise that makes the whole house smell incredible. This one leans holiday with pops of tart cranberries that melt into the sauce.
It’s rich, savory, and a little bright—special enough for company, simple enough for a Sunday. Most of the work happens in the pot while you set the table and light a candle.
This cranberry beef bourguignon is basically the best thing to hit my dinner table all month. It’s perfection with a side of buttery mashed potatoes, and I honestly just can’t think of a better December dinner.
Like classic beef bourguignon, this is meal is hearty, warming and the perfect stew for serving a crowd. I’ve had the idea to include cranberries for a while now, so I’m excited to finally bring the recipe to life on the site today! If you’re thinking cranberries and beef is a weird combo, think again, it’s actually the perfect pairing. The tart cranberries go really well with the beefy flavors in this dish and are balanced by the sweet red wine…not to mention, they add the perfect festive touch, which you all know I LOVE!
Anyway, let’s chat about this pretty little dinner I have here for you guys. If you’ve ever had beef bourguignon than you know it’s a truly a mouth-watering meal. It’s saucy, full of flavor (thanks to an entire bottle of wine – yes and entire bottle), and the beef is incredibly tender with the cranberries adding the perfect tart bite. As you can see, I served mine over a bed of mashed potatoes, but this would be equally great with egg noodles, or even served over garlic bead like Ina does it.
OKok, so let’s talk about the whole bottle of wine thing. I know, I know, it seems like so much wine, but you guys trust me, it works, and most of the alcohol burns off during cooking. The wine is really the flavor enhancer it here, it creates a sweet yet savory sauce and makes for the most perfectly tender beef. Not to mention, the sweetness balances out the tart cranberries. Be sure to use a dry red wine that you would enjoy drinking yourself, I used a Pinot Noir. All that said, I totally understand that some of you prefer not to cook with alcohol. If that’s that case, use an equal amount of beef broth in place of the wine. Or if you just wish to use a little less wine, try using one to two cups wine and then the rest beef broth. Either way, this dish will be delicious, but I personally love the flavor the wine adds.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheat
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Make-ahead: Braises improve overnight; cranberries mellow and meld into the sauce.
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Fridge: Cool fully; store airtight 3–4 days. Rewarm gently until beef is hot and tender again—avoid a hard boil.
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Freeze: Freeze sauce and beef together for up to a few months; thaw in the fridge and reheat slowly, adding a splash of stock if needed.
FAQ:
Can I use frozen cranberries?
Yes—add straight from frozen. Stir some in earlier to melt into the sauce and save a handful for the end so you still get juicy pops.
What if I don’t cook with wine?
Use extra beef stock and a small splash of balsamic for gentle acidity. Reduce until the sauce smells rich and not sharp.
How do I know the beef is done?
It should be fork-tender with connective tissue broken down, and the sauce should coat a spoon with a silky sheen.
Can I make this ahead for a holiday dinner?
Absolutely—braises are better the next day. Chill, skim any fat if you like, then rewarm gently and finish with fresh herbs for brightness.
Cranberry Beef Bourguignon.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 792 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 slices thick cut bacon chopped
- 2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
- kosher salt and pepper
- 2 small sweet onions thinly sliced
- 6 carrots cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/2 cup cognac or brandy see note
- 1 (750ml) bottle (about 3 cups) dry red wine such as Pinot Noir (see note)
- 2 cups beef broth plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 leaves bay
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
- Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat renders and the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place on a large plate.
- Dry the beef with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Now add the beef to the dutch oven and sear in batches until the beef is browned all over, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the beef to the plate with the bacon. Set Aside.
- To the dutch oven with the drippings, add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and garlic and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute, then add the cognac and raise the heat to high. Cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Next, add the meat and all the juice on the plate back to the dutch oven. Add the wine, beef broth, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of cranberries. Cover with a tight fighting lid and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook for 2 hours or until the meat is tender is shreds easily with a fork.
- Remove the pot from the oven and place over medium heat on the stove. Combine the 2 tablespoons butter and the flour until a smooth paste forms. Stir the paste into the stew. Add the remaining 1 cup cranberries and cook until the stew thickens just slightly.
- Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are just browned and caramelized, about 5 minutes. Stir the mushrooms into the stew and cook another 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve over [mashed potatoes | https://fett-weg.today/crockpot-three-cheese-mashed-potatoes/], egg noodles or crusty bread.
ps. Happy Monday! Only one more full week of work until Christmas!
This post was originally published on December 12, 2016
Hi! Just wondering what size Dutch oven you used for this recipe? It just says large Dutch oven. Thank you!
Hi Kayla,
I like to use a 7 or 9 quart dutch oven for this recipe. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Delicious! I used a smaller pot, so I halved the recipe, and it turned out great. My only critique is that the cranberries didn’t add much to the flavor—though they do make the dish look more appealing visually. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Hannah,
Happy New Year!!🎆 Love to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! XxT
Turned out delicious!
Thanks so much, Angela! Love to hear this dish turned out well for you! xT
May I use fresh, yet frozen cranberries? If so, do I need to defrost before using?
Hey Laura,
Totally! No need to thaw them, just toss them right in. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xx
Tieghan,
Made this again last night for our early family Thanksgiving and it was divine, as usual. Served it over a bed of mashed potatoes and it was a huge hit for the whole family. Followed the recipe and was wonderful. Thank you again,
Kerri T
Hey Kerri,
Fantastic! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a lot for making it! Happy Thanksgiving! xxT
I made this and was very disappointed at the bitterness the cranberry addition made to the stew. I love Ina Garten’s Ultimate Beef Stew and it is basically the same recipe except for the addition of the ranberries
Hi Alexis,
Thanks so much for trying this dish and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! xx
We loved this recipe! I’m thinking of making it for my second protein on Thanksgiving – we always have a beef option with the turkey. Have you tried preparing it until the “oven stage” and letting it sit overnight to cook the next day? Just trying to plan for things I could do ahead. Thanks!
Hey Lindsay,
So glad to hear you have enjoyed this dish! I love this idea for Thanksgiving and I haven’t tried that, but I think it would work nicely for you! xT
I am adding this to my family cookbook. I made it this past Christmas and it was delicious. My husband and I had beef bourguignon at a holiday work party made by a chef that worked at a Michelin star restaurant, and this tecipe was so much better!
Thanks so much Julie:) I really appreciate you making this recipe and your kind feedback! So glad it was enjoyed! xT
Would it be possible to use dried cranberries?
Hi Mavis,
You are going to want to use fresh cranberries for this recipe:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Very tasty! I used 3 cups of beef broth total and 1 cup of red wine. Turned out great, I didn’t use as much liquid as stated in the recipe and still turned out great. Next time I will try 2 cups red wine and 2 cups beef broth. The onions and carrots were amazing I’ll add more next time. I also only used 2 strips of bacon as it was all I had. I used apple juice instead of brandy. Great recipe!
Hey Tanner! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for giving it a try! xT
Could I use canned whole cranberry sauce? Can’t find fresh anywhere.
Hi Karen! Yes, that should work fine in a pinch! xT
I made this for 12 people on Christmas Eve and it was delicious. My uncle told me it was “like something from a restaurant.” Since I doubled the recipe I exceeded the Dutch oven capacity and we used a huge roasting pan for the oven part and it all worked out.
Hi Jennifer! Thank you SO much! Always love to hear when a recipe is a success! Hope you have an amazing New Year! xT
Hi! I am about to make this for Christmas and am wondering if you think I could prepare this in a slow cooker?
Thanks!
Hi Bella! I haven’t ever tried that myself but I think that should be just fine! xT
I just tried this last night for our annual Christmas dinner with friends – this was amazing – such great flavors. Everyone loved it. Cranberries added a lot!
Thank you so so much! xT
Hello, was curious about the note for the cognac and brandy…but there was no note?…was disappointed to see there are notes referred but non written..
Hi Sarah,
The cognac is listed in step 4 if you would like to use that or the brandy:) Sorry for any confusion! I hope you love this recipe! xx