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Christelle’s Beef Bourguignon
Julia Child was absolutely right: Beef Bourguignon is one of the most delicious beef dishes ever created. Yes, it takes time, but every minute is worth it. What a true treat this dish is!
Beef Bourguignon may sound like gourmet French cuisine, but it was once humble peasant food—just like Coq au Vin. After visiting Burgundy in 2018, I fell in love with French cooking all over again, especially this rich, flavorful dish.
My friend Christelle, who grew up in Paris, sent me a few “approved” recipes. After reviewing them all—including one she translated from French—I went with a Cook’s Illustrated recipe, making a few tweaks. The Beef Bourguignon I had in Burgundy used little to no carrots, so I recreated that style.
This dish takes time, but trust me—it’s worth every minute. Julia Child was right: Beef Bourguignon is one of the most delicious beef dishes ever created. Thank you, Christelle! ❤️ Bon Appétit!
Note: You can freeze the leftover Beef Bourguignon up to 3 months.
Serve 6~8
Ingredients
6 oz salt pork or solid bacon chunk
a small handful of fresh parsley leaves (about 10~12 spring) - Christelle uses Italian parsley, so I use them too.
about 6 spring fresh thyme
2~3 cloves of garlic, crusted, but unpeeled
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp whole black peppercorns
0.5 oz dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed (optional)
1 onion, chopped coarsely
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped coarsely
about 3.5~4 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into about 1.5~2 inch cubes
Kosher salt & pepper
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
heaping 1/4C flour
1 1/4C low sodium beef broth
1 bottle red Burgundy wine (750 ml) or Pinot Noir
1 tbsp tomato paste
Onion & Mushroom garnish:
one package (14-oz) frozen petite whole onions (or pearl onions)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 lb white mushrooms, halved or quartered
2 tbsp brandy
3 tbsp fresh parsley or Italian parsley, minced
Instructions
Cut off salt pork rind and set aside. Slice the salt pork (or bacon) into lardons, about 1/4” thick and 1 1/2” long. If using salt pork, place the lardons and reserved rind in a medium saucepan with 3C water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 2~3 minutes, then drain well. (Skip the boiling step if using bacon.)
Make a bouquet garnish with salt pork rind: Wrap thyme, parsley, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, porcini mushrooms, and blanched salt pork rind in cheesecloth. Place the bouquet, carrots and onion in a large Dutch oven.
Heat a pan over medium heat and sauté the salt pork until crisp, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the crispy salt pork to the Dutch oven. Carefully pour off the excess fat from the pan, reserving about 2 tbsp for later use.
Season beef generously with salt and pepper. In the same pan used for the pork, add about 1 tbsp reserved pork fat. Increase the heat to high and add half of the beef in a single layer. Sear the beef, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 5~7 minutes. Then transfer the beef to the Dutch oven.
Pour about 1/2C water into the pan and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon and pour the liquid into the Dutch oven. Return the pan to high heat with the reserved pork fat, and repeat the browning process with the remaining beef.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. (Note: Move the oven rack to the lower-middle position to ensure the Dutch oven fits.) In the same pan used to brown the beef, melt butter over medium heat. Once butter begins to foam, add flour and whisk until it forms a paste. Cook, whisking constantly, for 4~5 minutes, or until the mixture develops a peanut butter-like consistency.
Gradually whisk in beef broth and 1 1/2C water until fully combined. Increase the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened. (Note: This process may take longer than expected—likely around 15–20 minutes.) Once the mixture has thickened, pour it into the Dutch oven.
Stir in 3C wine and the tomato paste until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the Dutch oven and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 2 1/2~3 hours.
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and transfer the bouquet garni to a strainer set over the pot. Press firmly to extract all the flavorful liquid into the pot—make sure to squeeze out all the yumminess! Discard once done.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef, some of the carrots, and the salt pork pieces to a bowl and set aside.
Let braising liquid to settle, about 10~15 minutes. Then, skim off the fat on the surface with a spoon and discard. Then purée onion and carrots in the Dutch oven with an immersion blender until smooth. (Note: I adapted this step from Bernard Loiseau’s recipe!)
Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer vigorously, stirring frequently, for 20~30 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and reduces to about 3C. (Keep a close eye on it to prevent burning at the bottom of the Dutch oven!) Skim off any scum that forms on the surface of the sauce.
While the sauce is reducing, combine petite whole onions, butter, sugar, a pinch of salt, and 1/2C water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to medium-low, shaking the pot occasionally, and simmer for about 3~5 minutes, or until the onions are tender. Remove the lid, increase the heat to medium-high, and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the onions and mushrooms are golden brown and glazed, about 8–10 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl and set aside.
Add 1/4C water to the pot and use a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Once the bottom and sides of the pot are clean, pour the liquid into the Dutch oven.
Heat the Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add beef (with all its accumulated juices), mushrooms, onions, and the remaining wine and brandy. Cover the pot and cook for about 5 minutes, or until everything is heated through.
Season with salt and pepper if needed and garnish with minced parsley. Serve with mashed potatoes
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