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Julia Child Beef Bourguignon

Julia Child beef bourguignon is a classic French braise with browned bacon, fork-tender beef, and a glossy red-wine sauce. The method starts with oven browning at 450°F, then finishes with a long 325°F braise before reuniting the meat with braised onions and sautéed mushrooms.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Soups, Stews & Chili
Cuisine: French
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

bacon
  • 6 oz bacon Cut into lardons and blanched 10 minutes.
olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
lean stewing beef
  • 3 lb lean stewing beef Cut into 2-inch cubes and patted dry.
carrot
  • 1 carrot Sliced.
onion
  • 1 onion Sliced.
salt
  • 1 tsp salt
black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
full-bodied red wine
  • 3 cup full-bodied red wine
beef stock
  • 2.5 cup beef stock Use enough to barely cover the meat; plus more if needed.
tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
garlic
  • 2 clove garlic Mashed.
dried thyme
  • 0.5 tsp dried thyme
bay leaf
  • 1 bay leaf
pearl onions
  • 18 pearl onions Brown-braised in butter and stock.
mushrooms
  • 1 lb mushrooms Quartered and sautéed in butter.
fresh parsley
  • 1 fresh parsley For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Braise setup and browning
  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Place the blanched bacon in a casserole with the olive oil and brown it, then remove.
  2. Sear the dry beef in the hot fat a few pieces at a time until well browned. Add the carrot and onion to the hot fat and brown them.
  3. Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and season with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle with all-purpose flour and toss until the cubes look lightly coated.
  4. Bake uncovered at 450°F for 4 minutes, until the coating begins to darken. Toss and bake uncovered for another 4 minutes.
Wine braise
  1. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Stir in the red wine and enough beef stock to barely cover, then add tomato paste, garlic, dried thyme, and bay leaf.
  2. Cover and braise at 325°F for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the beef is fork-tender. Watch for steady simmering with steam building under the lid.
Finish with onions, mushrooms, and sauce
  1. Strain the sauce and skim the fat. Simmer the strained sauce to thicken until it looks glossy.
  2. Pour the thickened sauce back over the beef. Add the braised pearl onions and the sautéed mushrooms, then garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

For best color and flavor, brown the beef in small batches so the meat sears instead of steams. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3-4 days; reheat gently so the beef stays tender. Freezing is yes—freeze in portions up to 2-3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a lighter option, use leaner beef and reduce the bacon amount to keep the sauce rich without as much fat.