Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon Recipe — Classic Boeuf à la Bourguignonne

Julia Child’s Beef bourguignon (Boeuf à la Bourguignonne) is a classic French beef stew braised in red wine with bacon, onions, and mushrooms. Made famous by Julia Child, it’s a comforting, flavorful dish that rewards time and patience.

Fresh from a visit to Paris, this recipe became the most memorable meal from that trip. Recreate that Parisian comfort at home with this dependable version of Julia Child’s beef bourguignon.

What is Beef Bourguignon?

Beef bourguignon is a beef stew slowly braised in red wine and beef broth. The long, gentle braise transforms economical cuts of beef into tender, deeply flavored meat. Julia Child’s version includes bacon (lardons), pearl onions, carrots, and mushrooms, each contributing layers of flavor.

There are many valid variations of this dish. The version below follows Julia Child’s classic technique but can be adapted to your tastes. It’s an ideal recipe to learn the fundamentals of braising—searing for flavor, deglazing to capture browned fond, and a slow oven braise to finish.

Ingredients you’ll need

The essentials for Julia Child’s beef bourguignon are simple: beef, red wine, beef stock, bacon, aromatics, mushrooms, and pearl onions. Aside from a large Dutch oven, that’s all you need to prepare a memorable meal.

Beef: Use about 3 lb of stewing beef or a chuck roast cut into roughly 2″ cubes. Larger pieces hold their texture better than very small ones.

Beef stock: Homemade stock improves the dish but good quality store-bought stock also works.

Red wine: Choose a drinkable, full-bodied red—Burgundy, Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Chianti, or Zinfandel all work well.

Mushrooms: Cremini or white button mushrooms are fine; quarter them if large.

Pearl onions: Use fresh, frozen, or cocktail onions if fresh pearl onions aren’t available.

How to make Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon

Gather and prepare all ingredients. Preheat your oven to 450°F.

Begin with the bacon: simmer lardons briefly in water, drain, then sauté until lightly browned. This technique produces lardons that are tender with crisp edges.

1. Simmer about 8 oz bacon lardons in water for 10 minutes, remove and drain, then sauté briefly until lightly browned. Set aside.
2. Pat 3 lb of beef cubes dry and sear in hot oil in a Dutch oven in batches; do not overcrowd. Set seared meat aside.
3. Sauté sliced onions and carrots in the same pot until beginning to soften, return the bacon and beef, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with flour. Toss to coat.
4. Place the uncovered Dutch oven in the 450°F oven for 4 minutes, remove and stir, then return for another 4 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
5. Add warm beef stock and red wine to barely cover the meat. Stir in tomato paste, crushed garlic, and thyme. Bring to a light simmer, cover, and braise in the oven for 3–4 hours until the beef is fork tender.

About an hour before the braise finishes, prepare the pearl onions and mushrooms:

1. Sauté pearl onions in butter and olive oil until golden, add 1/2 cup beef broth and an herb bouquet (bay leaf, thyme, parsley), then simmer on low until onions are tender, about 30–40 minutes. Remove onions and discard bouquet.
2. Sauté quartered mushrooms in butter or oil until just softened, about 5 minutes; set aside.

When the braising is complete, strain the cooking liquid from the meat and vegetables into a saucepan. Simmer the liquid for about 5 minutes and skim any excess fat. Return the meat and vegetables to the Dutch oven, add the pearl onions and mushrooms, pour the reduced sauce over everything, and simmer together briefly to marry the flavors.

Serve immediately or refrigerate for a day or two to let flavors deepen. Reheat gently before serving.

Common questions

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Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon (Boeuf à la Bourguignonne)

Classic beef bourguignon cooked in rich Burgundy-style red wine.

Prep: 45 mins

Cook: 4 hrs

Yield: 8

Equipment

• Large Dutch oven
• Small saucepan
• Slotted spoon
• Saute pan
• Chef’s knife
• Colander

Ingredients

• 8 oz bacon, sliced into lardons
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 3 lb beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 large carrot, sliced into 1/2-inch coins
• 1 large onion, sliced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 cups red wine
• 3 cups beef stock (adjust 2½–3½ cups as needed)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 14 oz pearl onions (about 18–24)
• 3.5 tbsp butter
• 1 herb bouquet (1 bay leaf, 2 sprigs thyme, 4 sprigs parsley)
• 1 lb mushrooms, quartered

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Simmer bacon lardons in water 10 minutes, drain and pat dry, then sauté in 1 tbsp olive oil until lightly browned; set aside.
2. Pat beef dry and sear in batches in a hot Dutch oven with olive oil until browned on all sides; set aside with bacon.
3. Sauté sliced onions and carrots in the pot until beginning to soften. Return bacon and beef, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with flour; toss to coat.
4. Place the uncovered pot in the oven for 4 minutes, stir, then return for another 4 minutes. Reduce oven to 325°F.
5. Add warm beef stock and wine to barely cover the meat. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and thyme. Bring to a light simmer, cover, and braise in the oven 3–4 hours until beef is fork tender.
6. About 1 hour before the end, sauté pearl onions in 1½ tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil until golden. Add 1/2 cup beef broth, the herb bouquet, salt and pepper, then simmer on low until onions are tender, about 30–40 minutes. Remove onions and discard the bouquet.
7. Sauté mushrooms in remaining butter and/or oil until softened, about 5 minutes, then set aside with onions.
8. When braising is done, strain the cooking liquid from the meat into a saucepan, simmer about 5 minutes and skim fat. Return meat and vegetables to the Dutch oven, add pearl onions and mushrooms, pour the sauce over, and simmer a few minutes to combine.
9. Serve immediately or refrigerate for a day to deepen the flavors. Reheat gently before serving.

Notes

Top Tips for Making Beef Bourguignon

1. Searing the meat is essential for depth of flavor.
2. Cheaper cuts work well since long braising makes them tender.
3. Use a wine you’d enjoy drinking.
4. Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or with crusty bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 931 kcal (approximate). Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as a guide.