And now, for a stew that is elegant enough to serve at a dinner party...if I ever had such a thing.
*I just "have people over", as Pam Anderson says.
Beef Burgundy, Julia Child's way, is a tour de force production. It was the recipe she made in the first episode of "The French Chef", and she chose it for a good reason. The big chunks of beef, bathed in the velvety wine sauce, with browned pearl onions and mushrooms mixed in at the last minute...amazing. Julia's recipe takes a maximum effort, and gives a maximum reward. I've made Julia's version. Once. I loved it, but I'm using a simpler version here.
*I've heard that this recipe plays a big part in Julie and Julia. As of this writing, I haven't seen it yet. Yes, I know, I'll have to turn in my foodie membership card.
I follow what I think of as my basic stew technique. Brown the beef (in some bacon fat...yum...). Saute the aromatics in the leftover fat, add the liquid (burgundy...yum again...), and simmer in the oven for 3 hours, until the beef apart tender. Stir in some sauteed pearl onions and mushrooms, and the result an elegant and refined stew.
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📖 Recipe Card
Beef Burgundy
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Beef Bourguignon the simpler way - chuck roast browned in bacon fat and braised for 3 hours in red wine and stock with onion, carrot and herbs, finished with pearl onions and mushrooms.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 8 ounces thick-cut bacon, sliced thin
- 4 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 1 ½ to 2 inch cubes
- 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup flour
- 2 cups chicken stock (homemade is best, or water)
- 2 cups red wine (Burgundy or Pinot Noir; a Cotes du Rhone is a good substitute)
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 sprigs thyme and parsley, tied together into a bouquet garni
- 1 large dried mushroom (optional)
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Brown the bacon: Put the bacon and oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the bacon is well browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Move the bacon to a large bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.
- Sear the beef: Sprinkle the beef with 2 teaspoons salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and add half the beef. Sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until well browned, then move it to the bowl with the bacon. Repeat with the rest of the beef. If the browned bits on the bottom of the pot start to burn, turn the heat down to medium.
- Saute the vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium. Pour off or add oil so there are 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot. Add the onion, carrot and remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and saute until softened and starting to brown, 5 to 10 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the tomato paste, sprinkle in the flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until the flour no longer looks dry.
- Braise: Set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 325°F. Add the stock, wine, bay leaf, herb bundle and dried mushroom to the pot, scraping the bottom. Add the beef, bacon and their juices, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, move to the oven, and bake for 3 hours.
- Season and serve: Discard the bay leaf, herbs and dried mushroom. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir in the steam-sauteed pearl onions and mushrooms, and serve.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
Make ahead: The stew is even better the next day. Cool it uncovered to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 4 days. Bring back to a simmer over medium-high heat, check the seasoning, and add the steam-sauteed pearl onions and mushrooms just before serving.
Don't crowd the pan when browning the beef, or it will steam instead of brown. I brown half in the Dutch oven and half in a 12 inch frying pan, then deglaze the frying pan with the stock and add it to the pot.
Strain and degrease: For the best version, move the meat to a platter, strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer, and spoon off the fat before serving.
I use an inexpensive Pinot Noir in the pot, and save the good Burgundy for the table.
Serve with mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes or noodles.
Makes about 5 quarts, and leftovers are great.
Inspired by Julia Child's The Way to Cook and Ginette Mathiot's I Know How to Cook.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
Related posts:
Steam-Sauteed Pearl Onions and Mushrooms
Inspired by:
Julia Child The Way To Cook
*This was my first Julia Child cookbook, and is still my favorite.
Ginette Mathiot: I Know How to Cook
(Je Sais Cuisinier)
*The French "Joy of Cooking" - more home cooking French than Julia's Cordon Bleu inspired recipes. Here is Ginette's version of this recipe: Beef Bourguignon [nytimes.com]
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Kyle B says
This recipe is amazing. Have made it twice now and its so easy.
Wendy says
That looks like pure HEAVEN! I can't wait to try it.
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
Sure - cut the stock back to 1/2 a cup, and the wine to 1 1/2 cups. Follow the instructions as written through step 4; for step 5, use the pressure cooking instructions from my pressure cooker beef stew recipe: https://www.dadcooksdinner.com/instant-pot-easy-beef-stew-with-certified-angus-beef-bottom-round/
Linh says
Any possible way to adapt this to the instantpot to reduce the cook time? Regular beef stew isn't going to cut it after reading this recipe.
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
You're welcome, Doug!
doug wolfe says
i used local muscadine wine and sun dried tomatoes instead of tomato paste in it , it was devine!!! thank you for the recipe
MikeV @ DadCooksDinner says
@DineInDiva:
Thanks! I did read My Life in France, and I agree that it was great. That's part of why I haven't seen the movie yet - I'm sure I'll love the Julia part, and I don't want the "Julie" stuff getting in the way.
Well, that and because of the kids. I've seen one movie in theaters over the last year..."Up".
DineInDiva says
Looks good. I have Julie & Julia on DVD if you want to borrow it.
If you haven't, definitely read My Life in France by Julia - it's a hoot and half of what the movie is based on.
MikeV @ DadCooksDinner says
@Patty:
Thank you!
@AYOTG:
I agree, the best part is the gravy. But I feel that way about most recipes - I'm happy if I have a thick sauce (like this gravy) and a starch (like the mashed potatoes) to soak it up.
A Year on the Grill says
the best part f the recipe is the gravy... i made my right of passage, and made Julia's once. It was so good... need to work on it again
This looks simpler
Patty says
Oh wow this looks fantastic, I think Julia Child would be very proud of you 😉