Julia Child's Heavenly Boeuf Bourguignon Recipe
Julia Child
When I first started dating my husband 6 years ago, I couldn’t cook for the life of me. Yes, I could scramble eggs, make instant noodles, and put rice in the rice cooker, but that was about it. I remember trying to impress him with a home-cooked meal one time and basically burned everything into an inedible state. What can say? We all have our strengths, and being in the kitchen has never been one of mine… until this year!
With the extra time being at home, I started dabbling with cooking more. This is one of the recipes I’m so glad I came across, and don’t know how I lived without it before! Julia Child is a freaking genius because this is one of the most heavenly things I’ve ever tasted IN MY LIFE. This is the perfect dish for every occasion - to impress your in-laws, to host your friends, or just to treat yourself with a nice glass of wine (or two)! It’s also perfect for winter in general, when you’re wanting something warm and hearty. Note that I also add chunks of potatoes along with the carrots, which deviates from the original recipe, but who doesn’t love potatoes in their stew?
I promise, to make this is easier than it seems. Don’t be scared! There are lots of steps but it’s very much manageable. Happy cooking!
Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon (the classic French red wine beef stew)
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the Beef
6 ounces bacon sliced crosswise 1/4" thick pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 pounds beef chuck roast cut into 2 inch cubes
1 carrot peeled and sliced
1 small onion peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups red wine full bodied
2-3 cups beef stock or broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves garlic mashed
5-6 sprigs thyme tied in kitchen string
2 bay leaves
For the Onions
6-7 ounces pearl onions from freezer section (thawed)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 sprigs parsley
3-4 sprigs thyme
1/2 bay leaf
1/2 cup beef broth or stock
For the Mushrooms
1 pound white mushrooms stems removed, quartered
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Garnish
chopped parsley
Instructions
For the Beef
Preheat the oven to 450°.
In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil until glistening over medium high heat. Add the bacon and cook for several minutes until lightly browned and fragrant. Scoop the bacon with a spoon, tilt against the side of the pan to drain excess grease and transfer to a large, shallow bowl.
Use several paper towels to dry the pieces of beef (if they're not dry, they won't brown) and add them in batches to the dutch oven to brown. Brown the beef on all sides and then transfer the pieces to the bowl with the bacon. Continue until all the beef has been browned.
Add the onions and carrots to the dutch oven and brown them, stirring occasionally.
Return the beef, bacon and any drippings to the dutch oven. Add the salt and pepper and stir to combine. Sprinkle with the flour and stir until the meat and vegetables are well coated. Put the dutch oven uncovered into the hot oven and cook for 4 minutes. Stir the contents of the pot and continue to cook for an additional 4 minutes. (this will give the meat a nice crust).
Reduce the oven temperature to 325°.
Add the wine to the pot and add enough beef stock to barely cover the meat. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Cover the pot tightly with a lid and place back in the oven. Braise for 3-4 hours or until the beef is tender.
While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.
For the onions
Tie the parsley and thyme into a bundle with kitchen string. In a large enameled pan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium high heat until the foam has subsided from the pan. Add the onions and cook until they are lightly browned.
Add the herbs, bay leaf and beef stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to a medium low, cover and cook for 30-40 minutes -- until most of the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the onions to a bowl and set aside.
For the mushrooms
In a large skillet heat half the olive oil and butter until the foam from the butter begins to subside. Add half the mushrooms to the pan and cook until browned. They will first absorb the oil, and then begin to brown... do not crowd the mushrooms in the pan. Transfer cooked mushrooms to the same bowl as the onions. Continue with the remaining mushrooms, by heating the oil and butter until the foam subsides, adding the mushrooms and then browning them evenly. Transfer mushrooms to the bowl and set aside.
Finally, bringing it all together
When the meat is tender, use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a bowl. Set a strainer over a medium bowl and strain the vegetables and broth through the strainer. Press lightly on the vegetables to get as much sauce from them as possible without pushing through the solids. Transfer the beef back to the pot and pour the sauce over the beef. Add the mushrooms and onion.
Heat the contents through on the stove top and serve with crusty bread and a good red wine. Indulge!