Recipe: Beef Bourguignon
What do you make when the co-author of the book, My Life in France, a memoir of Julia Child’s years living in her beloved second country? There’s only option: Beef Bourguignon.
This was the recipe featured in my first podcast episode, when I chatted with Alex Prud’homme, the great-nephew of the late great Julia Child. We discussed why she chose this particular dish as the star of her very first episode of the TV show that made her famous, “The French Chef.” Listen in.
Julia Child described the dish as “perfectly delicious,” and told the audience that she chose it because it “show you so many useful things about French cooking.” She’s right. You brown meat, saute mushrooms and onions and create a hearty sauce — all in one dish.
(You can watch the original episode via Amazon Prime for three bucks.)
Julia and the crew during the early episodes of The French Chef This dish was a touchstone for her, Prud’homme said. “It was the recipe she would come back to again and again.”
Beef Bourguignon gets its name from its humble origins in Burgundy, a picturesque French region located about 60 miles (100 km) southeast of Paris. There the dish is made with its celebrated Charolais beef, which are fed only hay, fodder, and cereal, which produce healthy cows and famously tender meat. The dish began as a simple peasant dish and evolved to a bistro classic that’s even served in white linen restaurants worldwide.
Auguste Escoffier, the chef responsible for codifying French cuisine for the ages, first published the recipe in the early 20th century. His version featured one large piece of beef, a dish that would be more akin to American pot roast. It was Julia Child who introduced the idea of cubed beef, based in part on the dish was served in Paris where they lived while she attended Le Cordon Bleu.
I love this dish. It does have a variety of steps, which takes some time, but it does teach a number of skills. But once it’s in the oven, you can just let it bubble and simmer away. Like many braises, this tastes better the day after you make it, so it’s a great option if you’re entertaining guests. Just reheat and serve. Voila.
You can make this in an Instant Pot or slow cooker and it will be fine. But I recommend going old school and making it in a Dutch oven as the evaporation of the liquid is a key part of the cooking process, as food writer Kat Kinsman found when she tested all three methods.
Beef stew à la Bourguignonne
This is my version of the classic stew based on the version taught at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Marinading the beef helps tenderize it before cooking. If you can't find pre-cut stew meat, look for a big chuck roast and cut it up yourself; it's generally cheaper. If you don't have beef stock, you can use chicken instead. I use Better than Bouillon roasted beef if I don't have beef stock on hand. Classic beef bourguignonne includes pearl onions, but those can be hard to find and expensive, so I substitute sweet onions. I like the flavor and saltiness bacon or ham adds to the final dish, and generally freeze the end of a holiday ham for use in this dish, but it's optional. I add balsamic vinegar at the end to add a touch of acid to bring out the beefy flavor. Serve with hot buttered noodles or rice. For entertaining, make a day ahead, reheat and voilà. This also freezes well.You can make this in an Instapot and it will be delicious but will not have the same silky texture as part of the magic is the slow reduction of the wine and stock. See tips at the end of the recipe.
Course Main CourseCuisine FrenchKeyword Beef, French, stew
Servings 8
Author Kathleen Flinn
IngredientsMarinade for beef2 ½ to 3 pounds about 1.5 kg lean beef stew meat cubed1 750 ml bottle of red wine such as Syrah2 medium carrots chopped (about 1 cup)1 medium yellow onion chopped (about 1 cup)4 garlic cloves peeled, smashedParsley stems from one bunch½ teaspoon thyme bay leaf½ cup 125 ml Cognac or brandy optionalStew2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper2 teaspoons coarse salt3 tablespoons olive oil8 ounces thick-cut bacon or ham cubed3 tablespoons flour2 tablespoons tomato paste2 cups 500 ml roasted chicken or beef stock3 garlic cloves½ sweet onion sliced8 ounces 250 grams mushrooms, sliced1 medium carrot chopped (about ½ cup)2 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped (16 oz can)2 medium white potatoes peeled, cut into ½ inch chunks1 teaspoon dried thyme2 bay leaves2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar optional3 tablespoons chopped parsley
InstructionsCombine meat with marinade ingredients in a large, non-reactive bowl, stir to mix. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for six hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 350F/175C. Strain the marinade into a large pot, reserving the liquid. Bring the liquid to a boil while you prepare brown the meat.Remove the meat from the strainer to a plate. Dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Add oil to a large Dutch oven or 6 quart or larger pot over high heat. Brown the meat in batches and set aside. Lower heat, add the ham or bacon. Cook slowly until slightly browned. Remove half, set aside to add before serving.Add the meat, the vegetables from the marinade and herbs to the pan with the bacon or ham. Sprinkle with flour and stir to coat. Add tomato paste and stir through until hot. Add the boiled wine and stock. Bring to a bubbling simmer, cover, and put into the oven for an hour and 20 minutes.Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Add the garlic, sliced onions, mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes and potatoes and cook until the meat and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Check seasonings, add salt and pepper if needed. Add the reserved bacon or ham, balsamic vinegar and parsley. Serves six to eight.Instapot variationFollow directions to marinade the beef and then boil the separated liquid on the stove while you brown the meat and cook the bacon on the saute setting. After adding the marinade liquid and stock, cook at high pressure for 35 minutes. Let the pressure go down naturally.
Beef stew photo by Veronika Struder. This page contains affiliate links.
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