andrejthechef
FranceStewDinnerGluten-freeDairy-free

Beef Bourguignon

Beef slowly braised in red wine with mushrooms, onions and bacon, Julia Child's signature French dish and the recipe at the heart of Julie & Julia.

prep
30 min
cook
3 h
total
3 h 30 min
serves
6
level
medium
Beef Bourguignon, from Julie & Julia (2009)

In Julie & Julia (2009), this is one of the signature dishes from Julia Child's own cookbook that food blogger Julie Powell works through early in her year-long cooking project, and it remains one of the dishes most closely tied to Child's influence on American home cooking.

Browning the beef properly, in batches, without crowding the pot, is the one step that actually earns this dish its deep, rich flavor; cutting corners there is the most common reason a home version falls flat.

Part of our 40 famous movie foods list.

method

  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F). In a large oven-safe pot, cook the bacon until the fat renders and it is lightly crisp. Remove and set aside.

  2. Pat the beef dry, season, and brown it in batches in the bacon fat until well colored on all sides. Set aside with the bacon.

  3. Add the carrots and onion to the pot, and cook for 5 minutes, then add the garlic.

  4. Return the beef and bacon to the pot, sprinkle with flour, and toss to coat.

  5. Pour in the wine and stock, add the tomato paste, bay leaf and thyme, and bring to a simmer.

  6. Cover and transfer to the oven, and cook for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the beef is completely tender.

  7. Meanwhile, sauté the pearl onions and mushrooms in the butter until golden, about 10 minutes, and set aside.

  8. Stir the onions and mushrooms into the stew in the last 20 minutes of cooking.

  9. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems, season to taste, and serve hot, finished with parsley.

chef's tips

  • Browning the beef properly in batches, without crowding the pot, is what builds the deep flavor this dish is known for; rushing this step with the meat crammed in just steams it instead of browning it.
  • A genuine Burgundy wine is traditional and worth using if you can; the dish is named for the region, and the wine's character carries through the whole braise.
  • In Julie & Julia (2009), this is the signature recipe from Julia Child's cookbook that blogger Julie Powell attempts early in her cooking project, and it remains one of the dishes most associated with Child's influence on American home cooking.
  • Cooking the mushrooms and pearl onions separately and adding them near the end keeps them from turning mushy over the long braise.