Canning boeuf bourguignon: Preserving a French classic

Boeuf bourguignon, that traditional French stew of beef slow-cooked in red wine with mushrooms, onions, and carrots, is comfort food at its best. It’s a treat to make fresh, but canning it means I can open a jar any time of year ;) It’s a bit fancier than my everyday canned beef stew, and here’s exactly how I make my canning version and get it safely into jars.

Boeuf bourguignon, canning version

Note: This is my own recipe, not a lab-tested one. There’s no USDA-tested boeuf bourguignon, so I use the longer USDA times for canning cubed beef (75 minutes for pints, 90 for quarts), which is longer than the USDA time for meat-and-veggie soups.

I love how the flavors keep mingling in the jar, and it’s the perfect fix for busy weeknights when I want something special without hours of cooking. Making it myself also means I decide what goes in, like a lot less salt than you’d find in a store-bought version.

In all fairness, this recipe is not exactly a traditional boeuf bourguignon, but rather a canning version of it. For example, I haven’t included the bacon or any flour to thicken it, since this is canning. If you like it thicker, stir in a little flour or cornstarch when you heat it up ;)

What you’ll need

Ingredients

Makes about 5–6 pint jars (or 2–3 quarts)

• 2 lb beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into cubes

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• 1 bottle of good quality red wine (preferably Burgundy)

• 2 cups beef broth

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 cup carrots, sliced

• 1 cup button mushrooms, quartered

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• A bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, and parsley tied together)

• Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

• Large skillet or Dutch oven

• Pressure canner

• Canning jars with lids and bands

• Jar lifter

• Canning funnel

• Ladle

Step-by-step canning process

1. Prepare the stew

Trim the excess fat off the beef and cut it into cubes. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven, brown the beef cubes on all sides and set them aside. In the same pot, add the onions and garlic, stir in the tomato paste, and cook for a minute. Pour in the red wine and the beef broth, add the carrots, mushrooms, and bouquet garni, and pop the beef back in. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook slowly for about 10 minutes.

2. Jars and lids

While the stew is cooking, prepare your canning jars. Wash jars, lids, and bands in hot soapy water and rinse well. Keep them warm until they are ready to be used, to prevent them from breaking when filled with hot stew.

3. Fill the jars

Remove the bouquet garni. Use a ladle and canning funnel to fill each jar about halfway with the beef and veggies, then top up with the hot wine broth, leaving a 1-inch headspace. This is a hot pack, so everything goes in hot. Remove any air bubbles and wipe the rims with a clean, damp cloth.

4. Process in a pressure canner

Place the lids on the jars and screw the bands on fingertip-tight. Put the jars in your pressure canner with the amount of water your manufacturer recommends. Lock the lid and let the canner vent a steady stream of steam for 10 minutes before you put the weight on. Process pint jars for 75 minutes and quart jars for 90 minutes at the right pressure for your altitude and canner type (see my altitude chart). I’m at 2,273 feet, so I use 15 lb on my weighted gauge.

5. Cool and store

Turn off the heat and let the canner cool down naturally until the pressure reads zero. Then remove the weight, wait 10 minutes, and open the lid away from your face (that steam is no joke!). Lift the jars out with a jar lifter onto a towel on the counter and let them cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours, then check the seals (the lids shouldn’t flex up and down when you press the center). Store them in a cool, dark place.

Safety tips

• Always use a pressure canner for low-acid foods like boeuf bourguignon (meat, veggies and all).

• Make sure your canner is in good working order, with a clean vent and a gasket that still seals well.

• Adjust the pressure (not the time!) for your altitude using my altitude chart.

Having jars of boeuf bourguignon in the pantry is like having a gourmet dinner ready and waiting, perfect for busy weeknights or when friends drop by unannounced. Just heat it through, serve it with mashed potatoes or crusty bread, and enjoy ;)

New to pressure canning meat? Have a look at how I pressure can chicken.

More meals in a jar: try my canned Korean beef.