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Beef Bourguignon
Julia Child's signature French beef stew — braised in Burgundy wine with mushrooms, pearl onions, and bacon.
30 mins
150 mins
6 people
French
Beef chuck or stewing beef
Cut into 5cm cubes, patted dry
1.5kg
Burgundy or Pinot Noir
750ml
Beef stock
500ml
Bacon lardons
200g
Pearl onions
250g
Cremini mushrooms
300g
Carrots
Chunked
3
Garlic
6 cloves
Flour
2 tbsp
Tomato paste
2 tbsp
Butter
4 tbsp
Olive oil
3 tbsp
Bouquet garni
Thyme, bay leaf, parsley stems
1
🍽️ Burgundy wine specifically
→ Any decent Pinot Noir or Côtes du Rhône
Wine quality affects final flavor directly
🍽️ Dutch oven
→ Any heavy oven-safe pot with tight lid
Trap moisture for slow braising
Pat beef completely dry, season generously. Brown in batches in oil in a Dutch oven. Remove.
💡 Pro Tip: Don't crowd — every cube needs contact with the hot pan. Crowding steams instead of sears.
In same pot, render bacon. Add carrots and onion, cook until softened.
💡 Pro Tip: The fond (brown bits) from the beef stays in the pot — add wine to lift it for deep flavor.
Add garlic, tomato paste, flour. Cook 2 minutes. Pour in wine, scraping pan bottom.
💡 Pro Tip: Deglazing the pan incorporates all the caramelized fond — pure flavor.
Return beef, add stock, bouquet garni. Cover and braise at 160°C for 2-2.5 hours.
💡 Pro Tip: Low oven braise ensures even, gentle heat on all sides.
Sauté pearl onions and mushrooms in butter separately. Add to finished stew.
💡 Pro Tip: Cooking mushrooms separately prevents waterlogging the sauce.
- ✓Completely dry beef before browning — wet beef steams and won't sear
- ✓Brown in batches, never crowd
- ✓The wine must be one you'd drink
- ✓Cook mushrooms separately for the best texture
- →With crusty French bread
- →Over egg noodles or mashed potato
- →With a glass of Burgundy