Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon, French Beef Stew With Wine

Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon, or Bœuf Bourgignon in French, is a universally adored classic for good reason. This is the type of recipe where you’ll want to savor the process, enjoy a glass of wine (or two) while making it, and shower it with plenty of love. Trust us, each step is absolutely worth it!

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To help make your life a bit easier, we’ve included four different cooking methods for our recipe: traditional oven, stove top, slow cooker, and instant pot or pressure cooker methods. No matter which one you choose, we promise you won’t be disappointed!

Beef Bourguignon

Taking inspiration from Julia’s best-selling book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, this Beef Bourguignon recipe transforms a basic beef stew into a culinary masterpiece – and it’s not too difficult to make at all! You don’t have to be a seasoned chef to give this a try in your cozy home kitchen.

Even though it has been recreated countless times by families across the globe over the decades, this recipe is incredibly forgiving. We’ve simplified a few steps from Julia’s original version to make it a tad easier and perhaps a bit less daunting. However, we didn’t want to meddle with something so flawless.

Julia Child = Genius.

How to Make a Beef Bourguignon?

This timeless French classic showcases tender beef, infused with the rich flavors of red wine, aromatic vegetables, and fragrant herbs. Whether you’re hosting a special dinner or simply craving a comforting meal, Beef Bourguignon is the perfect choice to impress your guests or treat yourself to a gourmet dining experience at home.

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through the process of creating this exquisite dish, from selecting the right ingredients to mastering the slow-cooking technique that brings out its incredible depth of flavors. So, put on your apron, grab a glass of red wine (you’ll need some for the recipe too!), and let’s embark on a culinary journey to prepare a mouthwatering Beef Bourguignon that will transport you to the heart of France.

Prep: 15 minutes	Cook: 3 hours
Total: 3 hours 15 minutes	Serves: 6-8 people

Ingredients Needed To Make Beef Bourguignon

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces (170g) bacon, roughly chopped
3 pounds (1 1/2 kg) beef brisket, trimmed of fat (chuck steak or stewing beef) cut into 2-inch chunks
1 large carrot sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 large white onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced (divided)
1 pinch of coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons flour
12 small pearl onions (optional)
3 cups red wine like Merlot, Pinot Noir, or a Chianti — for a milder sauce, use only 2 cups of wine
2-3 cups beef stock (if using 2 cups of wine, use 3 cups beef stock)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 beef bouillon cube, crushed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped (divided)
2 bay leaves
1 pound fresh small white or brown mushrooms, quartered
2 tablespoons butter

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Instructions for Making Tender Beef Bourguignon

TRADITIONAL OVEN METHOD:

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 a 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 the 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 of 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.
On the day of serving, remove from the 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.

Beef Bourguignon Recipe’s Notes

STOVE TOP BEEF BOURGUIGNON:

In a large Dutch oven or heavy-based pot, sauté the bacon over medium heat in 1 tablespoon of oil for about 3 minutes, until crisp and browned. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large dish and set aside.
Pat dry beef with a 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 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. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is falling apart.
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 of 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.
Add browned mushrooms to the pot, and let simmer for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to combine.
Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.

INSTANT POT BEEF BOURGUIGNON / PRESSURE COOKER:

Set Instant Pot or Cooker to SEAR function (or use a pan on the stove over medium heat if you wish). Sauté the bacon in 1 tablespoon of oil until crisp and browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Pat dry beef with a paper towel; sear in batches until browned on all sides in the oil/bacon fat.
Return bacon to the pot. Season with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper. Sprinkle with flour, toss well, and cook on SEAR for a further 4-5 minutes to brown.
Add in the onions, pearl onions, carrots, wine, 2 cups of stock, tomato paste, 4 cloves minced garlic, bullion, and herbs. Stir well, cover, and lock the lid into place. Press Keep Warm/Cancel to stop the Sauté function, then set it to MANUAL mode. Choose HIGH PRESSURE for 30 minutes cook time.
After cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 8-10 minutes. Open the valve and allow any remaining steam to escape (for Instant Pot, turn the valve from sealing to venting to release the pressure).
While steam is releasing, prepare your buttered mushrooms (OPTIONAL — or add them straight in without cooking in butter if desired): Heat the butter in a medium-sized skillet/pan over medium heat. 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. Set aside.
Change the Instant Pot or cooker setting back to the SEAR setting (or SAUTE) stir well and allow the sauce to thicken uncovered, for a further 5-10 minutes.
Add the buttered mushrooms, garnish with parsley, and serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.

SLOW COOKER BEEF BOURGUIGNON:

In a large pan or skillet, sauté the bacon over medium heat in 1 tablespoon of oil for about 3 minutes, until crisp and browned. Transfer to a 6 quart (liter) slow cooker bowl.
Pat dry beef with a paper towel; sear in batches until browned on all sides in the oil/bacon fat. Transfer to a slow cooker bowl with the bacon, and add in the onions (both types) and carrots. Season with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper, tossing well to combine.
Pour the red wine into the pan or skillet and allow to simmer for 4-5 minutes, then whisk in the flour until free from lumps. Allow to reduce and thicken slightly, then pour it into the slow cooker along with 2 cups of stock, tomato paste, garlic, bullion, and herbs.
Mix well to combine all of the ingredients. Cook on high heat setting for 6 hours or low for 8 hours, or until beef is falling apart and tender.
In the last 5 minutes of cooking time, prepare your mushrooms: Heat the butter in a medium-sized skillet/pan over medium heat. 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. Add to the Beef Bourguignon, mixing them through the sauce before serving.
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.