Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon

Adapted from Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", this legendary Beef Bourguignon (also called Beef Burgundy, Bœuf à la Bourguignonne, or Bœuf Bourguignon) is definitely one of the most delicious and famous beef stews in the world.

Jump to:

• What's The Best Wine For Bourguignon?
• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Serving Suggestions
• Top Tips From the Chef
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon

Julia Child’s famous Boeuf Bourguignon is a classic dish that I make a couple of times a year.

I changed a few steps to make it easier and less intimidating.

It is one of these dishes that are perfect for any occasion: Family gatherings, Thanksgiving dinner, or friends' get-togethers.

This melt-in-the-mouth French red wine beef stew is rich, hearty, and flavorsome.

As with most stews, it tastes even better when cooked a day or two before, chilled, and reheated.

What's The Best Wine For Bourguignon?

This world-famous beef stew takes its name from the Burgundy region of France and is traditionally cooked with the red wine from this region which is made from Pinot Noir grapes.

This is a wine lower in alcohol, overtly fruity ripeness, and higher acidity.

There are other substitutes such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot if you don’t want to spend too much on wine but make sure you use a good enough quality you would enjoy drinking.

When serving, always pair it with the same wine you used for cooking.

Why This Recipe Works?

• You don’t need to be an experienced chef to make this famous French red wine stew, it is very easy to make it with step-by-step pictures and instructions.

• You can cook this melt-in-the-mouth beef stew in advance and add the garnishes when reheating it. The taste will develop overnight and you will have the most delicious and rich stew ever.

• Julia Child's Beef Burgundy is perfect for dinner parties. You can double the recipe up to feed a crowd.

• This classic stew freezes beautifully. You can store the leftovers in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

Marinade For the Beef

• Beef - For slow cooking, I prefer using a cut with lots of connective tissue and some fat, like brisket, chuck, shin, or cheeks.

• Wine - Ideally, the best option is to use a wine from the Burgundy region of France but alternatively you can use a good quality Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot that you would enjoy drinking.

• Vegetables - I use roughly chopped carrots and onions. You can add a celery stick if you prefer.

• Aromatics - Lightly crushed garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns work perfectly with this dish. You can make a bouquet garni to remove them easier out of the marinade.

Ingredients for the Beef Bourguignon

• Marinated Beef - Remove the meat from the marinade and then pat dry with a kitchen towel. Strain the marinade and discard the vegetables and herbs, reserving the liquid.

• Vegetables - All you need is roughly chopped onions, carrots, and some small shallots or button onions.

• Aromatics - Traditionally bay leaves, thyme, finely chopped garlic, and freshly ground pepper are used for this French stew.

• Tomato paste - It adds an umami flavor to the dishes as well as a bright red color. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops. You can also buy it online from Amazon.

Garnishes

• Mushrooms - You can use any mushrooms you like or you have in hand.

• Bacon - Smoked bacon adds a slightly smoky flavor but you can leave it out for non-pork eaters.

• Garlic - Use finely chopped fresh garlic to sauté the mushrooms for extra flavor.

• Butter - It adds richness to the dish. You can use olive oil if you prefer.

Step-by-Step Instructions

You shouldn’t rush cooking this iconic Beef Burgundy dish. It takes time and patience to get the best result.

When you want to make Beef Bourguignon, make sure you start a day ahead.

Don’t be tempted to skip the overnight marinating because it really makes a big difference to the taste.

There are a few easy steps that you need to follow to achieve the best results:

Marinating the Beef

Roughly chop the onion, and carrot, and crush the garlic.

Put them in a saucepan with the wine, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorn. 

Put the saucepan on medium heat and bring the marinade to a boil.

Let it boil for 5 minutes and take the pan off the heat.

When cooled down, add the meat to the marinade and keep it in the fridge overnight.

Cooking the Beef Bourguignon

The next day, remove the meat from the marinade and then pat dry with a kitchen towel.

Strain the marinade and discard the vegetables and herbs, reserving the liquid.

Transfer the liquid to a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes over low-medium heat.

Skim the scum from the top of the liquid now and then, making sure it's all clear, and keep it aside to add later to the stew.

Preheat the oven to 170° C (340° F) heat your Dutch oven or oven-safe heavy-based pan on medium to high heat, and put the oil in.

Make sure your pan is hot enough before adding the meat as we need a quick caramelization.
Don’t put the meat all together in one batch as a large amount of cold meat will cool the pan down and will stop the caramelization.

Add them in 2 or 3 batches depending on the size of your pan and the amount of meat.

Transfer the meat onto a plate and then use the same pan to brown your vegetables.

Turn the heat down to medium and then add more oil to the pan if needed.

Add the diced onions and then sauté for a few minutes.

Add the carrot and garlic and then sauté for a few more minutes.

Gently brown the vegetables for 5 minutes, and stir in the flour along with the tomato paste and black pepper.

Add button onions (or shallots) and return the meat to the pan.

I like my button onions nicely cooked and soft so I add them to the stew at this stage.

However, if you like your button onions crispy, skip adding them to the stew at this stage and add them with the garnishes.

Mix well and add some of the wine from the marinade.

Deglaze the pan, and add the rest of the wine, beef stock (just enough to cover the meat), thyme, and bay leaves. 

Bring it to a boil, cover it with a lid or tin foil, and put the pan or Dutch oven in the preheated oven.

The cooking time depends on the type and size of the meat.

I usually check after 2 hours and after that every half an hour until the meat is tender and falling apart easily when touched with a fork.

In the last 45 minutes of cooking time, you can start preparing your garnishes.

Cooking the Garnish

For cooking the garnish, heat a pan and then add the butter.

Add bacon and cook until crispy.

Add the mushrooms and then cook for a few more minutes.

If you like your button onions crunchy and didn’t add them to the stew already, add them to the pan as well.

Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute before taking the pan off the heat.

Finishing the Beef Bourguignon

To finish the dish, add your garnishes to the pan or Dutch oven and then return it to the oven.

Cook for another 30 to 45 minutes, remove the pan from the oven, and check the thickness of the gravy.

It should be thick enough to cover the back of the spoon.

If the gravy is too thin, add some cornflour mixed with a little cold water and stir in.

Return the Dutch oven to the stove and then simmer for a few more minutes until the gravy has thickened to the desired consistency.

Check the seasoning and add salt if needed.

Sprinkle chopped parsley on the top to garnish.

Serving Suggestions

Beef Bourguignon is traditionally served with boiled potatoes in France.

I usually serve it along with Pomme Purée (Creamy Mashed Potatoes) and steamed green vegetables.

Alternatively, you can serve this stew with Turkish Rice (Sehriyeli Pilav), Crispy Sauté Potatoes with Garlic, Swede and Carrot Mash, a bowl of plain pasta, or a nice crusty Homemade Sandwich Bread.

Top Tips From the Chef

• You can cook the Beef Bourguignon on the stovetop instead of the oven. If you choose to cook it on the stovetop, make sure to stir every 15 to 20 minutes to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the pan.

• Use a beef cut with lots of connective tissue and some fat, like brisket, chuck, shin, or cheeks.

• When searing the meat, don’t put them all together in one batch as a large amount of cold meat will cool the pan down and will stop the caramelization.

• Don’t be tempted to skip the overnight marinating because it really makes a big difference to the taste.

• Use a good quality fool-bodied red wine that you would enjoy drinking!

• This delicious Beef Bourguignon will taste better after a day or two. When you taste it right after cooking it, you might find the red wine flavor is overpowering the dish. Let it rest for half an hour at least to let the flavors develop.

• Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon recipe requires adding the button onions with the garnishes, through the end of the braising of the meat. I add them at the beginning of the braising process as I like my onions nice and soft.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

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Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this famous French red wine stew recipe inspired by Julia Child as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂 

Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

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