The Difference Between Pot Roast And Boeuf Bourguignon

A warm beef dish brings back memories of Sunday dinners with family and home-cooked meals, but choosing which recipe to make can be difficult. Pot roast and boeuf bourguignon are both dishes made with tougher cuts of meat cooked slowly to tenderize them․ The main difference between the two dishes is how the beef is portioned.

The larger piece of beef used in pot roast contrasts with the smaller chunks commonly used in boeuf bourguignon, which is more like a stew. Both dishes are suitable for tougher cuts of beef such as chuck․ Pot roast with carrots and potatoes cooked in beef broth is different from a beef stew topped with sautéed mushrooms and onions and cooked with wine, even though both use the same type of beef․ Yet, a pot roast recipe that includes wine in the braising liquid is still a pot roast — because the cut of meat is braised whole․ 

Pot roast doesn't require dry roasting in an open pan. Instead, the meat is braised by combining browning with slow cooking in a covered pot and a small amount of liquid. You can use a Dutch oven, covered pan, or slow cooker to make this dish. Chuck comes from the shoulder area and is a good choice for this recipe because slow cooking helps tenderize the meat. Other cuts that can be substituted in this recipe include brisket and bottom round․

Many recipes say to season and sear the meat before roasting — this maximizes flavor. Add liquid to the pot and stir up any browned bits to deglaze․ If you make the mistake of not deglazing the pan, you'll miss additional flavor from the fond․ Follow the recipe's directions for the amount of liquid to add, which shouldn't completely cover the meat. Beef broth, water, or red wine can serve as the braising liquid. Carrots, potatoes, and onions can be cooked alongside the meat, although recipes differ on when to add them. 

Coating the meat in seasoned flour before braising will thicken the liquid to a gravy-like consistency. Alternatively, you can remove the cooked meat and vegetables at the end, and make a gravy with the braising liquid.

Boeuf bourguignon is a French-style beef stew. The difference is that it is always made with dry red wine in the braising liquid, along with stock, and fresh herbs. Traditionally, as the name indicates, Burgundy wine was used for the sauce.

Classic boeuf bourguignon starts with rendering bacon lardons and browning the beef in the bacon fat. Beef chuck is commonly used for this dish, it can be cubed before browning, or seared whole then cubed to retain moisture. Again, coating the beef with flour before searing will achieve that nice, thick sauce by the end of the braise. 

Recipes vary, so don't expect every boeuf bourguignon to use the same ingredients. One recipe uses boneless short ribs, Burgundy wine, and demi-glace. Some recipes include mushrooms and pearl onions in the final cooking step; most include braising carrots in the sauce․ Other versions have you cook the vegetables separately․ To serve, spoon the beef, vegetables, and sauce into shallow bowls, and serve bread alongside. Mashed potatoes or egg noodles are other serving options when you want something underneath the stew to catch the sauce.