Bœuf Bourguignon Recipe
Once a peasant dish using cheap cuts of beef and wine from Burgundy, beef bourguignon is now a beloved stew by all and arguably the most well-known dish of France. This recipe is adapted from Julia Child, the queen of making French recipes accessible to American homes.
Serve with a green salad, baguette and butter (for mopping up that delightful red wine sauce!), and a bottle of wine. Look to our wine notes for pairings or shop at France 44 for their selections.
bœuf bourguignon
serves 6
shopping list —
6 oz slab bacon (or buy the thickest cut available), sliced into lardons (1/4” thick by 1 1/2” long)
3 lbs stewing beef, cut into 2” cubes (brisket, chuck roast, etc)
1 carrot, large dice
1 onion, diced
2 tbsp flour, if desired
salt and pepper
24 oz full bodied red wine (Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chianti)
24 oz beef stock
1 tbsp tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, minced
one bunch thyme
one bay leaf
pearl onions
1 lb button mushrooms, either whole or quartered
parsley, chopped
equipment —
dutch oven with a lid
slotted spoon
wooden spoon
steps —
Preheat oven to 450ºF.
In dutch oven over medium heat, saute the bacon in canola oil until crisp and brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain excess fat.
Dry the beef with paper towels if wet and season with salt. In batches, brown the beef on all sides in the bacon fat being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Remove.
*Chef tip: you want to hear your beef! If you don’t hear the sizzle of the beef browning, add a little more oil to the pan.
Remove any excess bacon fat from the dutch oven if needed, keeping about 2 tablespoons. Add the carrots and onions to the pot, and scrape up any fond on the bottom of the pot. Return the beef and bacon to the dutch oven. Sprinkle the flour in and stir to coat the beef. Place the dutch oven in the oven and allow to bake for 3-4 minutes. Stir. Bake for another 3-4 minutes. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.) Remove the dutch oven from the oven and turn the oven down to 325ºF.
Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and stir to lightly toast. Add the wine and stock to cover the meat and the thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer before covering with a lid and baking in the oven for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. The meat is done when it’s tender.
In the last 5 minutes of cooking, saute the mushrooms and pearl onions in butter.
When the meat is tender, skim any fat off the surface and place back on the stove, uncovered, to simmer. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it’s thin, reduce. If it’s too thick, add a little more stock. Add the mushrooms and pearl onions to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and a splash of red wine vinegar if desired. You can also add a splash of raw red wine at the end. Finish with freshly chopped parsley. In the words of Julia Child, “Bon appètit!”
As with most stews, bœuf bourguignon can be made in advance as the flavor will only get better with time. Or leave the dishes to us, and order our October menu!