Boeuf Bourguignon: Julia Child's Most Famous Recipe

Boeuf Bourguignon: Julia Child's Most Famous Recipe


July 11, 2025 | Peter Kinney

Boeuf Bourguignon: Julia Child's Most Famous Recipe


The famous dish known as beef bourguignon gained popularity thanks to celebrity chef Julia Child. This classic French dish consists of tender meat, aromatic vegetables, and a rich wine sauce. This article goes through the special components of beef bourguignon so you can learn how to cook it at home.

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Ingredients

  • 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes 
  • 4 slices of chopped bacon
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil 
  • 4 cloves of minced garlic
  • 2 chopped onions
  • 4 sliced carrots
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
  • 2 cups of red wine (Burgundy or Merlot) 
  • 2 cups of beef broth 
  • 2 bay leaves 
  • 1 teaspoon of dried thyme 
  • Salt and pepper to taste 
  • 1 pound quartered mushrooms
  • Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

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Cooking steps

Prepare the meat: Use paper towels to pat the meat cubes dry. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper to them.

Cook the bacon: In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until it crisps up. Using a slotted spoon, remove and set aside the bacon.

Brown the beef: Add the olive oil to the same saucepan that contains the bacon fat. Boost the temperature to medium-high. Brown the beef cubes on both sides while working in batches and making sure they stay in a single layer. Remove the steak and set it aside.

Ready the aromatics: In the same saucepan, cook the minced garlic, chopped onions, and sliced carrots until they are tender, about 5 minutes.

Thicken the sauce: Evenly sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and toss to coat, adding thickness to the sauce. Simmer for two minutes to get rid of the raw flour flavor.

Include liquids and seasonings: Put the beef back in the pot and mix in red wine and beef broth. Add bay leaves and dried thyme, then let the mixture simmer.

Let sit and cook: Once the meat is cooked, reduce the heat to low and stew it, covered, for two to three hours, stirring now and then.

Fry the mushrooms: In a different pan, cook the quartered mushrooms in olive oil over medium-high heat for about five to seven minutes, or until they release moisture and turn golden brown.

Last touches: Finish the dinner by combining the cooked mushrooms and the crispy bacon with the tender beef. Mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve and enjoy: Remove the bay leaves. Ladle the Boeuf Bourguignon into dishes, then garnish with the freshly cut parsley. Eat warm with mashed potatoes or crusty toast.


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