Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon

French slow cooked beef stew in a Dutch oven

5 from 1 vote

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.

Prep Time30

Cook Time3 30

Total Time4

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: French

Diet: Low Lactose

Servings: people

Calories: 660kcal

Author: Ayla Clulee

Equipment

1 kitchen scale
1 measuring spoons
1 Lodge Dutch oven
1 Sharp knife
1 Rubber spatula
1 Saucepan

Ingredients

For the Marinade

1 ⅔ cups red Burgundy wine (400 ml)
1 ¾ lbs chunky diced beef (chuck, shin or cheek) (800 grams)
1 onion (roughly chopped)
1 carrot (roughly chopped)
2 cloves garlic (lightly crushed)
3 bay leaves
3 sprig thyme
6 black peppercorn

For the Beef Bourguignon

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion (diced)
1 large carrot (diced)
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ tablespoon plain flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
10 button onions or small shallots (peeled)
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme (finely chopped)
1 ⅔ cups wine from the marinade (400 ml)
2 ½ cups beef stock (600 ml)

For the Garnish

1 tablespoon butter
3 ½ oz chopped smoked bacon (100 grams)
7 oz sliced button or chestnut mushroom (200 grams)
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

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 into 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 aside to add later to the stew.
Preheat the oven to 170° C (340° F) and heat your Dutch oven or oven-safe heavy-based pan on medium to high heat, and put the oil in.
Fry the meat in the pan in three batches until nicely browned on all sides. 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.
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 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.
45 minutes before the end of the cooking time, start preparing your garnishes.

Preparing 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 Beef Bourguignon, 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.
Check the seasoning and add salt if needed. Sprinkle chopped parsley on the top to garnish.

Notes

You can cook the Beef Bourguignon on the stovetop instead of in 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.

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