Tender fall apart chunks of beef simmered in a rich red wine gravy makes Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon an incredible family dinner.
Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon (Bœuf Bourguignon in French) is a worldwide loved classic for a reason. This is one recipe where you want to take your time cooking it, drinking a glass of wine or two while preparing it, and show it a lot of love. Every step is worth it.
In our recipe, we included four different cooking methods to make your life easier: traditional oven, stove top, slow cooker and instant pot or pressure cooker methods. Whichever one you choose; you will not be disappointed!
Beef Bourguignon
Adapting this Beef Bourguignon from Julia’s best seller, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, this dish raises a simple beef stew to an art form and is not too difficult to make at all. You don’t need to be an experienced cook to try this in your kitchen at home.
Even though it’s been remade all over the world countless times by families over the decades, it’s an extremely forgiving recipe. We cut out a few steps from Julia’s original to make it a little easier and maybe a little less intimidating. Still, I didn’t want to mess with something so perfect.
How Do You Make a Beef Bourguignon?
I don’t know about you but when reading the original recipe from Julia’s book, I immediately became as nervous as Amy Adams’ Julie in the movie Julie and Julia. SO MANY STEPS. So, I poured myself a wine and began my mission to follow AT LEAST one recipe in my life as best as I could.
The results were unbelievable. I can honestly say I have never enjoyed a stew as much as I did when it was done.
Trying it again and skipping only a couple of steps to attempt to cut down on some the work and washing extra pots; adding a little more of this and that, I have to say the results were just about the same but with a little added flavor.
What Did We Do Differently?
- Julia’s first step is to simmer bacon rind and fat in water for 10 minutes, remove then proceed to fry lightly in oil. We skipped this and just went straight to frying until crisp and browned.
- When beef and veggies are in, Julia suggests to set the casserole in the oven for 4 minutes, then toss the meat and return to the oven for 4 minutes more. We skipped this also and opted to continue cooking over stove top. This didn’t make a difference.
- I added a couple extra cloves of garlic feeling we missed that particular flavour and added more herbs into the stew.
- Also, Julia prepares her pearl sized onions seperate from the Beef Bourguignon itself, adding them in near the end of cooking. My family completely skipped over the onions in their bowls, eating everything else and leaving them behind. So, the second time around, I added them in with all of the ingredients, saving a pot and stove top cooking time. The results were better for us. We saved the onions!
- Lastly, Julia asks us to wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it at the end of the recipe. This I couldn’t bring myself to do, wanting to keep every single lick of flavor in that pot.
I was left craving this the next day, so we made it again and again. No regrets.
What Meat is Best for Beef Bourguignon?
We tried this with a few cuts of beef: brisket, chuck steak and stewing beef (yes, the third time I made it was in our Instant Pot/Multi Cooker). Brisket yielded our favourite result.
The meat fell apart so beautifully and tasted better than the others with a juicy outcome. Having said the though, you can use whichever stewing beef you can find or have on hand.
Tips to An Incredible Beef Bourguignon
- Taste test: We taste tested it immediately after cooking and found that the wine was an extremely strong flavor in the gravy. PLEASE don’t worry or try to adjust it straight away! Let it rest for 15 minutes and the flavors begin to settle into each other. The wine flavor mellowed out and we LOVED it. If you’re serving it the next day, the flavors are even better.
- Don’t skip the buttery garlic mushrooms. When I tried adding them in from the start, they had shrivelled up into nothingness by the end. They really are incredible added in fresh from the pan, plump and buttery. I couldn’t resist adding some garlic to them along with some salt and pepper. It added a lot more flavour to the end result.
- Simmer the gravy. Please don’t skip this step. After straining the liquid, simmer it for a minute or two and watch the magic of a deliciously rich and glossy gravy thicken before your eyes. If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock at a time to thin it out. However, if the sauce is too thin, boil it over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until reduced to the right consistency.
You should be left with about 2 ½ cups of sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Which Red Wine is Best for Beef Bourguignon?
Julia recommends a good quality burgundy for her Beef Bourguignon recipe. We used a $20 bottle of Pinot Noir as we love cooking with that particular wine. It doesn’t need to be expensive, but try to get a good quality brand.
Worried about the amount of wine? Reduce it to 2 cups and up the stock to 3 cups (for oven and stove top methods only). If you don’t want to use wine, you can leave it out all together and use all beef stock. However, I cannot guarantee the flavour. The wine makes this incredible.
What Do You Serve with Beef Bourguignon?
Definitely mashed potatoes, elevate your dish by adding these Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes! You can also serve it with plain rice or noodles. There is so much flavor in this, you need a fairly plain side to go with it.
Beef Bourguignon (Julia Child’s Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 ounces bacon roughly chopped
- 3 pounds beef brisket trimmed of fat chuck steak or stewing beef cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 carrot large sliced ½-inch thick
- 1 white onion large diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced divided
- 1 pinch coarse salt
- 1 pinch ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 12 pearl onions small optional
- 3 cups red wine like Merlot Pinot Noir, or a Chianti – for a milder sauce, use only 2 cups of wine
- 2-3 cups beef stock if using 2 cups of wine, use 3 cups beef stock
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 beef bouillon cube crushed
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped divided
- 2 bay leaves
- 1- pound white mushrooms fresh small or brown mushrooms, quartered
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
TRADITIONAL OVEN METHOD:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy based pot. Sauté the bacon over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until crisp and browned. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large dish and set aside.
- Pat dry beef with paper towel; sear in batches in the hot oil/bacon fat until browned on all sides. Remove to the dish with the bacon.
- In the remaining oil/bacon fat, sauté the carrots and diced onions until softened, (about 3 minutes), then add 4 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Drain excess fat (leave about 1 tablespoon in the pan) and return the bacon and beef back into the pot; season with ½ teaspoon coarse salt and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper. Sprinkle with flour, toss well and cook for 4-5 minutes to brown.
- Add the pearl onions, wine and enough stock so that the meat is barely covered. Then add the tomato paste, bullion and herbs. Bring to a simmer on the stove.
- Cover, transfer to lower part of the oven and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is fall apart tender (adjust the heat so that the liquid simmers very slowly).
- In the last 5 minutes of cooking time, prepare your mushrooms:
- Heat the butter in a medium-sized skillet/pan over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), then add in the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, while shaking the pan occasionally to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Once they are browned, set aside.
- Place a colander over a large pot (I do this in my clean kitchen sink). Remove the casserole from the oven and carefully empty its contents into the colander (you want to collect the sauce only). Discard the herbs
- Return the beef mixture back into the Dutch oven or pot. Add the mushrooms over the meat.
- Remove any fat off the sauce (if any) and simmer for a minute or two, skimming off any additional fat which rises to the surface.
- You should be left with about 2 ½ cups of sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon lightly.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock. If the sauce is too thin, boil it over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until reduced to the right consistency.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper, if desired. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.
- If you are serving immediately, simmer the beef bourguignon for 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
- Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice or noodles.
- To serve the following day, allow the casserole to cool completely, cover and refrigerate.
- The day of serving, remove from refrigerator for at least an hour before reheating. Place over medium-low heat and let simmer gently for about 10 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.
ALTERNATE COOKING METHODS:
STOVE TOP BEEF BOURGUIGNON:
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy based pot, sauté the bacon over medium heat in 1 tablespoon of oil for about 3 minutes, until crisp and browned. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large dish and set aside.
- Pat dry beef with paper towel; sear in batches in the hot oil/bacon fat until browned on all sides. Remove to the dish with the bacon.
- In the remaining oil/bacon fat, sauté the carrots and diced onions until softened, (about 3 minutes), then add 4 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Drain excess fat and return the bacon and beef back into the pot; season with ½ teaspoon coarse salt and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper. Sprinkle with flour, toss well and cook for 4-5 minutes to brown.
- Add the pearl onions, wine and enough stock so that the meat is barely covered. Then add the tomato paste, bullion and herbs. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is falling apart.
- In the last 5 minutes of cooking time, prepare your mushrooms: Heat the butter in a medium-sized skillet/pan over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), then add in the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, while shaking the pan occasionally to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Add browned mushrooms to the pot, let simmer for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to combine.
- Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice or noodles.
INSTANT POT BEEF BOURGUIGNON / PRESSURE COOKER:
- Set Instant Pot or Cooker to SEAR function (or use a pan on the stove over medium heat of you wish). Sauté the bacon in 1 tablespoon of oil until crisp and browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Pat dry beef with paper towel; sear in batches until browned on all sides in the oil/bacon fat.
- Return bacon to the pot. Season with ½ teaspoon coarse salt and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper. Sprinkle with flour, toss well and cook on SEAR for a further 4-5 minutes to brown.
- Add in the onions, pearl onions, carrots, wine, 2 cups of stock, tomato paste, 4 cloves minced garlic, bullion and herbs. Stir well, cover and lock the lid into place. Press Keep Warm/Cancel to stop the Sauté function, then set to MANUAL mode. Choose HIGH PRESSURE for 30 minutes cook time.
- After cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 8-10 minutes. Open the valve and allow and remaining steam to escape (for Instant Pot, turn the valve from sealing to venting to release the pressure).
- While steam is releasing, prepare your buttered mushrooms (OPTIONAL — or add them straight in without cooking in butter if desired): Heat the butter in a medium-sized skillet/pan over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), then add in the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, while shaking the pan occasionally to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Set aside.
- Change the Instant Pot or cooker setting back to the SEAR setting (or SAUTE) stir well and allow the sauce to thicken uncovered, for a further 5-10 minutes.
- Add the buttered mushrooms, garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice or noodles.
SLOW COOKER BEEF BOURGUIGNON:
- In a large pan or skillet, sauté the bacon over medium heat in 1 tablespoon of oil for about 3 minutes, until crisp and browned. Transfer to 6 quart (liter) slow cooker bowl.
- Pat dry beef with paper towel; sear in batches until browned on all sides in the oil/bacon fat. Transfer to slow cooker bowl with the bacon and add in the onions (both types) and carrots. Season with ½ teaspoon coarse salt and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper, tossing well to combine.
- Pour the red wine into the pan or skillet and allow to simmer for 4-5 minutes, then whisk in the flour until free from lumps. Allow to reduce and thicken slightly, then pour it into the slow cooker along with 2 cups of stock, tomato paste, garlic, bullion and herbs.
- Mix well to combine all of the ingredients. Cook on high heat setting for 6 hours or low for 8 hours, or until beef is falling apart and tender.
- In the last 5 minutes of cooking time, prepare your mushrooms: Heat the butter in a medium-sized skillet/pan over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), then add in the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, while shaking the pan occasionally to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Add to the Beef Bourguignon, mixing them through the sauce before serving.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice or noodles.
