Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon

After all, who has time for all those steps? However, after preparing it both ways —using shortcuts and following Julia’s meticulous instructions —I can attest to a remarkable difference. The depth of flavor, the tender meat, and the rich sauce make you want to lick your plate clean… It’s worth every minute spent in the kitchen. This iconic French dish transforms humble ingredients into something extraordinary, and I’m excited to guide you through the authentic process.

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Why This Recipe Is Worth Every Minute

Boeuf Bourguignon isn’t just beef stew, it’s an experience. Born in the Burgundy region of France, this dish exemplifies how French cuisine transforms simple ingredients through technique. The magic happens through the careful layering of flavors: bacon rendered, beef seared to perfection, vegetables caramelized, and everything married together with a good bottle of red wine. While this recipe does require several steps, most of the cooking time is hands-off as it simmers in the oven, filling your home with mouthwatering aromas.

Pro Tip: This dish actually tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for entertaining. Prepare it a day ahead, refrigerate overnight, and simply reheat before serving. Your guests will think you spent all day in the kitchen!

Ingredients

For the Main Dish

• Bacon rind or quality bacon – Provides the initial fat for searing and adds smoky depth to the dish
• Lean stewing beef – The star protein that becomes fork-tender after slow cooking
• Carrot – Adds subtle sweetness and earthy flavor to the base
• Onion – Creates aromatic foundation and melts into the sauce
• Salt and pepper – Essential seasonings that enhance all other flavors
• Flour – Thickens the sauce and helps create a light crust on the meat
• Dry red wine – Provides acidity, fruitiness, and the signature flavor of the dish
• Beef stock – Creates richness and depth in the sauce
• Tomato paste – Adds umami and subtle acidity to balance the dish
• Garlic – Provides aromatic complexity and depth
• Thyme – Contributes earthy, herbaceous notes typical of French cuisine
• Bay leaf – Adds subtle aromatic background notes to the sauce

For the Garnish

• Bacon – Creates textural contrast and adds smoky notes
• Small white onions – Become sweet and tender, adding textural interest
• Butter – Enriches the garnishes and sauce with a luxurious mouthfeel
• Oil – Helps prevent butter from burning while sautéing garnishes
• Fresh mushrooms – Add earthy flavor and meaty texture to complement the beef

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Wine Selection: Julia recommends a full-bodied young wine like Chianti. Any medium to full-bodied dry red wine will work; Pinot Noir, Côtes du Rhône, or Merlot are excellent choices. Unfortunately, this dish has no good non-alcoholic substitute, as the wine is essential to its character.
• Beef Cuts: Chuck roast or top round roast work best, cut into 2-inch cubes. Look for well-marbled pieces for the most flavor and tenderness.
• Bacon: Traditional French recipes use salt pork or bacon rind, but thick-cut bacon works beautifully.
• Mushrooms: White button mushrooms are traditional, but cremini (baby portobello) mushrooms offer a deeper flavor if you prefer.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preparing the Ingredients

1. If using bacon rind, simmer it with the bacon pieces in 1½ quarts of water for 10 minutes. Drain and dry thoroughly.
2. Preheat your oven to 450°F.
3. Dry the beef thoroughly with paper towels—this is crucial for proper browning.
4. Slice your carrot and onion for the initial braising.

Creating the Base

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in your casserole dish over moderate heat.
2. Add the bacon and sauté for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Increase the heat until the fat is almost smoking.
4. In batches, sauté the beef in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides.
5. Remove the browned beef and add it to the reserved bacon.
6. In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables (carrot and onion).
7. Pour out any excess fat from the casserole.

Building the Stew

1. Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and season with salt and pepper.
2. Sprinkle with flour and toss to coat the meat lightly.
3. Place the uncovered casserole in the middle rack of the preheated oven for 4 minutes.
4. Toss the meat and return to the oven for another 4 minutes.
5. Repeat once more (4 more minutes) to create a light crust on the meat.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
7. Stir in the wine and enough beef stock to barely cover the meat.
8. Add the tomato paste, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf.
9. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop.
10. Cover the casserole and place in the lower third of the oven to cook for 2½-3 hours, until the meat is fork-tender.

Preparing the Garnishes

While the beef is in the oven:

For the Pearl Onions:

1. Heat 1½ tablespoons each of butter and oil in a skillet.
2. Add the small white onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling them gently for even browning.
3. Set aside when done.

For the Mushrooms:

1. In a skillet, heat 4 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil until the butter foam subsides.
2. Add the mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes, tossing regularly.
3. The mushrooms will first absorb the fat, then release it as they begin to brown.
4. Once lightly browned, remove from heat and set aside.

Finishing the Dish

1. When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan.
2. Rinse out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it.
3. Arrange the prepared onions and mushrooms over the meat.
4. Skim any fat from the sauce in the saucepan.
5. Simmer the sauce for 1-2 minutes, skimming any additional fat.
6. You should have about 2½ cups of sauce thick enough to lightly coat a spoon.
7. If too thin, reduce it by rapid boiling; if too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock.
8. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
9. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.

Julia Child’s Classic Boeuf Bourguignon

Master Julia Child's iconic French beef stew with this authentic recipe. Tender beef slowly braised in red wine with bacon, pearl onions, and mushrooms creates an unforgettable meal perfect for special occasions.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Beef

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 814kcal

Author: Stephanie Manley

Ingredients

• 5 ounces bacon rind or good quality bacon
• 3 pounds lean stewing beef cut into 2-inch cubes lean chuck roast or top round roast
• 1 sliced carrot
• 1 sliced onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups dry red wine a full-bodied young wine such as a Chianti
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 garlic cloves mashed
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• a crumbled bay leaf
• 1/4 pound bacon
• 1 1/2 cups small white onions
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons oil
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoon oil

Instructions

• Remove rind, and cut bacon into lardons (sticks, 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long.) Simmer rind and bacon for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of water. Drain and dry. (I have used a good quality sliced bacon in the store with good results. 
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. You will need a 9 to 10-inch fireproof casserole 3 inches deep, one tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil, and a slotted spoon. Saute the bacon in the oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon. Set casserole aside, reheat until the fat is almost smoking before you saute the beef. 
• Dry the beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp (This makes a big difference) Saute it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon. In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the sauteing fat. Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper. 
• Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to oven for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.) 
• Remove casserole, and turn oven down to 325 degrees. Stir in the wine, and enough stock or bouillon so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove. Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers very slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
•  The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily. When butter and oil are bubbling in the skillet, add the onions and saute over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. 
• You cannot expect them to brown uniformly. Place the skillet over high heat with the butter and oil. As soon as you see that the butter foam has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add the mushrooms. Toss and shake the pan for 4 to 5 minutes. 
• During their saute, the mushrooms will first absorb all of the fat. In 2 to 3 minutes, the fat will reappear on their surface, and the mushrooms will begin to brown. As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from heat. While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms. Set them aside until needed. When meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. 
• Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat. Skim fat off the sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rices. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick mix in a few tablespoons of stock or canned bouillon. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. 
• To serve immediately: Cover the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in its casserole or arrange the stew on a platter sounded with potatoes, noodles, or rice, and decorated with parsley. For later serving: When cold, cover and refrigerate. About 15 to 20 minutes before serving, bring to the simmer, cover, and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce. Whew! 
• A couple more comments of mine, yes, the small pearl onions taste wonderful, and don’t add the small onions and mushrooms until the end, their flavors are wonderfully unique and add a lot of flavors. Again, I can’t add anything to this recipe, but I would encourage you to consider making this wonderful beef stew sometime soon.

Nutrition

Calories: 814kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 60g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 883mg | Potassium: 954mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 5.4mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 4.2mg

More soups, stews, and chili with beef

• Beef Tortilla Soup
• Cheeseburger Soup
• Crockpot Beef Stew
• Cowboy Soup
• Dutch Oven Beef Stew
• Instant Pot Beef Stew
• Steak Soup
• Vegetable Beef Soup
• Wendy’s Chili

Looking for more great classic beef recipes? Try these!

• Beef Stroganoff
• Beef Tips and Gravy
• Braised Beef Short Ribs
• Ground Beef Casserole
• Cottage Pie (Shepherd’s Pie with Beef)

Check out more of my easy soup recipes and the best recipes for beef here on CopyKat!