Indulge in the exquisite flavors of Beef Bourguignon, a classic French dish that embodies culinary refinement and timeless tradition. This iconic beef stew, originating from the Burgundy region of France, has captivated taste buds for centuries with its rich, savory broth, tender beef, and an orchestra of aromatic vegetables. Immerse yourself in the art of slow cooking as Julia Child, the legendary chef and culinary icon, guides you through the intricacies of this beloved dish. Discover the secrets to achieving the perfect balance of flavors, from the caramelized onions and smoky bacon to the earthy mushrooms and robust red wine. Each step, from searing the beef to simmering the stew, is meticulously explained, ensuring your Beef Bourguignon is a masterpiece worthy of a special occasion. This comprehensive guide also includes delightful variations to cater to diverse palates, including a modern twist with a touch of chocolate and a hearty vegetarian version that's equally satisfying. Embark on a culinary journey through time and savor the essence of French cuisine with this timeless recipe.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
BOEUF BOURGUIGNON A LA JULIA CHILD
This is the classic, adapted from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." A wonderful dish, raising the simple stew to an art form and quite simple to make -- even though the instructions look long. Use Simple Beef Stock, the recipe for which is posted on this site. Use a wine that you would drink -- not cooking wine. And the better the cut of beef, the better the stew. As the beef is combined with braised onions and sauteed mushrooms, all that is needed to complete your main course is a bowl of potatoes or noodles and lots of good bread for the sauce.
Provided by Chef Kate
Categories Stew
Time 5h
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 25
Steps:
- First prepare the bacon: cut off the rind and reserve.
- Cut the bacon into lardons about 1/4" thick and 1 1/2" long.
- Simmer the rind and the lardons for ten minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of water.
- Drain and dry the lardons and rind and reserve.
- Pre-heat the oven to 450°F.
- Put the tablespoon of olive oil in a large (9" - 10" wide, 3" deep) fireproof casserole and warm over moderate heat.
- Saute the lardons for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly.
- Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.
- Dry off the pieces of beef and saute them, a few at a time in the hot oil/bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides.
- Once browned, remove to the side plate with the bacon.
- In the same oil/fat, saute the onion and the carrot until softened.
- Pour off the fat and return the lardons and the beef to the casserole with the carrots and onion.
- Toss the contents of the casserole with the salt and pepper and sprinkle with the flour.
- Set the uncovered casserole in the oven for four minutes.
- Toss the contents of the casserole again and return to the hot oven for 4 more minutes.
- Now, lower the heat to 325°F and remove the casserole from the oven.
- Add the wine and enough stock so that the meat is barely covered.
- Add the tomato paste, garlic and herbs and the bacon rind.
- Bring to a simmer on the top of the stove.
- Cover and place in the oven, adjusting the heat so that the liquid simmers very slowly for three to four hours.
- The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
- While the meat is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms and set them aside till needed.
- For the onion, if using frozen, make sure they are defrosted and drained.
- Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet and add the onions to the skillet.
- Saute over medium heat for about ten minutes, rolling the onions about so they brown as evenly as possible, without breaking apart.
- Pour in the stock, season to taste, add the herbs, and cover.
- Simmer over low heat for about 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape and the liquid has mostly evaporated.
- Remove the herbs and set the onions aside.
- For the mushrooms, heat the butter and oil over high heat in a large skillet.
- As soon as the foam begins to subside add the mushrooms and toss and shake the pan for about five minutes.
- As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from heat.
- To Finish the Stew:.
- When the meat is tender, remover the casserole from the oven and empty its contents into a sieve set over a saucepan.
- Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it (discarding the bits of carrot and onion and herbs which remain in the sieve).
- Distribute the mushrooms and onions over the meat.
- Skim the fat off the sauce and simmer it for a minute or two, skimming off any additional fat which rises to the surface.
- You should be left with about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock.
- If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to reduce to the right consistency.
- Taste for seasoning.
- Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.
- If you are serving immediately, place the covered casserole over medium low heat and simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve in the casserole or on a warm platter surrounded by noodles, potatoes or rice and garnished with fresh parsley.
- If serving later or the next day, allow the casserole to cool and place cold, covered casserole in the refrigerator.
- 20 minutes prior to serving, place over medium low heat and simmer very slowly for ten minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 911, Fat 54.3, SaturatedFat 20.2, Cholesterol 202.9, Sodium 1168.6, Carbohydrate 27.1, Fiber 4.5, Sugar 11, Protein 56.6
BEEF BOURGUIGNON
Tender fall apart chunks of beef simmered in a rich red wine gravy makes Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon an incredible family dinner. Slow Cooker, Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, Stove Top and the traditional Oven method included! Easy to make, every step is worth it.
Provided by Karina
Categories Dinner
Time 3h15m
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or heavy based pot. Sauté the bacon over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until crisp and browned. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large dish and set aside.
- Pat dry beef with paper towel; sear in batches in the hot oil/bacon fat until browned on all sides. Remove to the dish with the bacon.
- In the remaining oil/bacon fat, sauté the carrots and diced onions until softened, (about 3 minutes), then add 4 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Drain excess fat (leave about 1 tablespoon in the pan) and return the bacon and beef back into the pot; season with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper. Sprinkle with flour, toss well and cook for 4-5 minutes to brown.
- Add the pearl onions, wine and enough stock so that the meat is barely covered. Then add the tomato paste, bullion and herbs. Bring to a simmer on the stove.
- Cover, transfer to lower part of the oven and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is fall apart tender (adjust the heat so that the liquid simmers very slowly).
- In the last 5 minutes of cooking time, prepare your mushrooms:Heat the butter in a medium-sized skillet/pan over heat. When the foam subsides, add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), then add in the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, while shaking the pan occasionally to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Once they are browned, set aside.
- Place a colander over a large pot (I do this in my clean kitchen sink). Remove the casserole from the oven and carefully empty its contents into the colander (you want to collect the sauce only). Discard the herbs
- Return the beef mixture back into the dutch oven or pot. Add the mushrooms over the meat.
- Remove any fat off the sauce( if any) and simmer for a minute or two, skimming off any additional fat which rises to the surface.
- You should be left with about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon lightly. If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock. If the sauce is too thin, boil it over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until reduced to the right consistency.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper, if desired. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.
- If you are serving immediately, simmer the beef bourguignon for 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice or noodles.
- To serve the following day, allow the casserole to cool completely, cover and refrigerate.The day of serving, remove from refrigerator for at least an hour before reheating. Place over medium-low heat and let simmer gently for about 10 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 673 kcal, Carbohydrate 17 g, Protein 56 g, Fat 32 g, SaturatedFat 11 g, Cholesterol 169 mg, Sodium 620 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 7 g, ServingSize 1 serving
BOEUF BOURGUIGNON
Yield Makes 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place garlic on large piece of foil. Pour 2 tablespoons wine over garlic. Wrap foil around garlic to enclose. Roast garlic until soft, about 40 minutes. Cool. Press garlic between fingertips to release from skins; set aside.
- Cook bacon in large pot over medium heat until brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels. Pour drippings into small bowl. Return 2 tablespoons to same pot; reserve remainder. Increase heat to high. Working in batches, add beef to pot and brown, about 7 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer meat to large bowl.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add chopped onion and chopped carrot to pot; sauté 5 minutes. Mix in flour. Return beef and accumulated juices to pot. Stir in tomato paste. Add herb sprigs, bay leaves, roasted garlic and 2 cups wine; simmer 15 minutes. Add 3 cups broth. Cover; simmer 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Uncover; simmer until meat is tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours longer. Discard herb sprigs and bay leaves.
- Cook pearl onions in large saucepan of boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Using 4- to 5-inch-diameter strainer, transfer onions to medium bowl; cool slightly, then peel. Return water to boil. Add carrots and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain. Transfer to bowl of ice water to cool. Drain. (Bacon, stew and vegetables can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)
- Heat 2 tablespoons reserved bacon drippings in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add pearl onions to mushrooms; sauté until onions are golden, about 4 minutes. Add carrots; cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring stew to simmer, thinning with more broth, if desired. Stir bacon and 2/3 of vegetables into stew. Transfer to large bowl. Top stew with remaining vegetables.
JULIA CHILD'S BEEF BOURGUIGNON
Steps:
- See above under ingredients (could not fit!!!!! Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for 3 to 4 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily. While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with one and one-half tablespoons of the oil until bubbling in a skillet. Add onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling them so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect them to brown uniformly. Add 1/2 cup of the stock, salt and pepper to taste and the herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but hold their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet and set onions aside. Wipe out skillet and heat remaining oil and butter over high heat. As soon as you see butter has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add mushrooms. Toss and shake pan for 4 to 5 minutes. As soon as they have begun to brown lightly, remove from heat. When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and lardons to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms on top. Skim fat off sauce in saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute or 2, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons stock. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour sauce over meat and vegetables. Cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in casserole, or arrange stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and decorated with parsley.
Tips:
- Use high-quality beef chuck roast for a richer flavor.
- Brown the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan and ensure even cooking.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to evenly distribute heat and prevent scorching.
- Sauté the vegetables until they are softened and caramelized for a deeper flavor.
- Use a good quality red wine for a more robust flavor.
- Bring the wine to a simmer before adding it to the pot to burn off the alcohol.
- Use beef broth or stock for a more flavorful sauce.
- Simmer the beef and vegetables for at least 2 hours, or until the beef is tender.
- Serve the beef bourguignon over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice.
Conclusion:
Beef bourguignon is a classic French dish that is perfect for a special occasion or a cozy winter meal. The combination of tender beef, flavorful vegetables, and rich red wine sauce is sure to impress your guests. With careful preparation and attention to detail, you can create a delicious and memorable beef bourguignon that will be enjoyed by all.
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