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Julia Child Boeuf Bourguignon
French

Julia Child Boeuf Bourguignon

The definitive French beef stew from Mastering the Art of French Cooking: beef braised low and slow in red wine with bacon lardons, then finished with separately glazed pearl onions and sauteed mushrooms. The dish that made Julia Child a household name.

255 min
Total time
6
Servings
45 min
Prep
210 min
Cook
advanceddinnerhigh-protein
Source: Julia Child (Mastering the Art of French Cooking)

Ingredients

6 servings
  • 170 g thick-cut bacon, rind removed, cut into lardons
  • 52 ml olive oil, divided
  • 1.4 kg stewing beef (chuck), cut into 5 cm (2 inch) cubes
  • 1 large carrot, sliced
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 710 ml full-bodied red wine, Burgundy or Chianti
  • 590 to 830 ml beef stock, to barely cover
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf, crumbled
  • 18 to 24 pearl onions, peeled
  • 52 g butter, for onions and mushrooms
  • 450 g white mushrooms, quartered
  • to taste salt and pepper

Make it your way

Instructions

Plan my prep
  1. Step 1.Simmer the bacon lardons and rind in 1.5 litres (1 1/2 qt) water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry. Preheat the oven to 230C/450F.
  2. Step 2.Saute the bacon in 1 tbsp oil in a heavy casserole over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned; remove with a slotted spoon.
  3. Step 3.Reheat the fat until nearly smoking, pat the beef dry, and brown it in batches on all sides; set aside with the bacon.
  4. Step 4.Brown the sliced carrot and onion in the same fat, then pour off the excess fat.
  5. Step 5.Return the beef and bacon to the casserole, toss with salt and pepper, sprinkle over the flour and toss again to coat.
  6. Step 6.Set the uncovered casserole in the middle of the oven for 4 minutes, toss the meat, return for 4 minutes more, then lower the oven to 165C/325F.
  7. Step 7.Stir in the wine and enough stock to barely cover the meat, then add the tomato paste, garlic, thyme, crumbled bay leaf and the bacon rind.
  8. Step 8.Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, cover, and braise in the lower third of the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until the beef is fork-tender.
  9. Step 9.Meanwhile, brown the pearl onions in half the butter, add a little stock and the herbs, and simmer covered 40 to 50 minutes until tender; saute the mushrooms in the rest of the butter until browned.
  10. Step 10.Strain the casserole through a sieve, returning the beef and bacon to the cleaned pot and arranging the onions and mushrooms over the meat.
  11. Step 11.Skim the fat from the sauce, simmer 1 to 2 minutes to reach about 590 ml (2 1/2 cups) of sauce that coats a spoon, then adjust the seasoning.
  12. Step 12.Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables, baste, and simmer gently 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

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