Making Julia Child’s beef bourguignon, le Creuset is a culinary milestone that cooks of all levels of experience can enjoy. This dish is perfect for chilly winter days, as it’s both hearty and warm. Best of all, it’s surprisingly easy to prepare, even for novice cooks.
The dish is made from cooked beef, bacon, carrots, onion, mushrooms and red wine. It is then cooked in a Le Creuset pot for several hours, and the sauce is reserved and poured over the content. Serve cold and top with chopped thyme leaves.
You can add soy sauce or Worcestershire for umami flavor, a touch of honey for sweetness, lemon zest or vinegar for brightness, chilli powder, or smoked paprika for spice and depth to the beef stew.
This guide will walk you through every step of the process, from prep to serving. We’ll also provide tips for adapting the recipe to make it your own. So, whether you’re a first-time cook or a seasoned pro, Julia Child’s beef bourguignon le Creuset is sure to impress your friends and family. You can also check out some other Julia Child’s recipes.
Other Julia Child’s Recipes That You Can Try
- Julia Child’s Chocolate Almond Cake
- Julia Child’s Chocolate Mousse
- Julia Child’s Chocolate Cake Reine De Saba
- Julia Child’s Chicken And Mushrooms
- Julia Child’s Cheese Souffle
- Julia Child’s Tuna Sandwich
- Julia Child’s Potato Salad
- Julia Child’s Bruschetta
- Julia Child’s Hollandaise Sauce
- Julia Child’s Turkey
What Equipment Will You Need To Make Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon Le Creuset?
- Skillet – Cook the veggies and mushrooms in a skillet until they are tender, translucent, and aromatic.
- Casserole Dish – Transfer the cooked veggies into a casserole dish once you reserve the sauce.
- Sieve – Place a sieve over a large pot and remove the contents into the sieve, and reserve the sauce only.
- Knife – Chop the veggies like Bacon, beef, onions, carrots, and mushroom with a sharp knife into chunks for easy cooking.
- Spatula – Toss the prepared sauce in the contents until combined with a flat-surfaced spatula.
- Slotted Spoon – Transfer crispy and browned bacon with a slotted spoon to a casserole dish to avoid burning hands.
- Paper Towel – Remove the oil from the beef with a paper towel to prevent it from being soggy.
- Chopping Board – Chop the contents on a chopping board for easy cutting.
How Much Time Will You Need To Make Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon Le Creuset?
| Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Total Time |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Minutes | 3 hours 15 Minutes | 3 Hours 35 Minutes |
What Ingredients Will You Need To Make Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon Le Creuset?
- Bacon РCut bacon into chunks and saut̩ until crisp and browned to give smoky flavors.
- Stewing Beef – Cut beef into pieces and cook for a flavorful and juicy bite.
- Carrot – Slice carrots and cook them until soft for a slightly sweet flavor with bitter notes.
- White Onion – Cook sliced white onion in a saucepan until translucent for a sweet and milder taste.
- White Mushrooms – Quarter and cook white mushrooms until slightly brown to add slightly nutty and rich flavors with a hint of saltiness.
- Pearl Onions – Peel pearl onions and cook them for savory, sweet, and slightly less intense flavors.
- Butter – Melt butter in a skillet to cook mushrooms until brown.
- All-purpose Flour – Add all-purpose flour to thicken the beef and bacon sauce, giving it a rich and silky texture.
- Red Wine – Pour in the red wine to tenderize the meat, imparting complex flavors.
- Beef Stock – The beef stock will aid a richer flavor, making the beef sauce a darker brown.
- Tomato Paste – Pour tomato paste into a saucepan with beef and bacon to balance the sweetness of the veggies.
- Olive Oil – Cook the veggies in olive oil until soft and light brown.
- Salt – Add salt while cooking the mushrooms to enhance their flavor.
- Freshly Ground Pepper – Add a pinch of black pepper for a piney and citrusy note of the mushrooms.
- Garlic РSaut̩ garlic in a skillet until fragrant to add mild sweetness to the mushrooms.
- Thyme – Garnish thyme leaves over the dish for an earthy, minty, and slightly lemony flavor.
Steps To Make Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon Le Creuset
1. Chop-Chop The Veggies
In a large skillet, sauté the chopped bacon for 3 minutes until crisp and browned. Transfer to a large dish with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Roughly chop bacon into lardons and cut stewing beef into chunks. Slice one large carrot and white Onion. Cut the white mushrooms into quarters and smash the garlic cloves.
Remove the oil from the beef with a paper towel; cook it in the hot oil until browned on all sides. Remove it to the casserole dish with the bacon.
2. Cook The Fat
Sauté the diced carrots and white onion until softened, then add smashed garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until translucent.
Drain excess fat and put the bacon and beef back into the pot, season it with salt and ground pepper. Sprinkle all-purpose flour, toss well until well combined and cook for 4-5 minutes until brown.
3. Beef Bourguignon Is Ready
Add peeled pearl onions, red wine and beef stock until the meat is covered. Now add in the tomato paste. Bring the mixture to a simmer until the meat is tender for two to three hours.
Heat the butter slice in a skillet, add two garlic cloves, cook until fragrant, and add quartered mushrooms. Shake the pan occasionally to coat the mushrooms with the butter until they are browned. Season it with salt and pepper, if required.
Place a sieve over a large pot. Remove the contents into the sieve and reserve the sauce only. Return the beef mixture to the pot and add the mushrooms over the meat.
To serve, allow the casserole to cool completely, and cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before reheating.
Nutritional Information
| Calories | 673 kcal |
| Carbohyderates | 17 g |
| Proteins | 56 g |
| Fat | 32 g |
| Cholesterol | 169 mg |
| Sodium | 620 mg |
| Potassium | 1565 mg |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Vitamin A | 2035 iu |
| Vitamin C | 12.4 mg |
| Calcium | 60 mg |
| Iron | 6.3 mg |
How Will Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon Le Creuset Look And Taste Like?
This recipe is the best because it is simple, classic and delicious. Julia Child’s beef bourguignon is a French dish perfect for a winter meal. Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon is filled with tender chunks of meat and mushroom, plump onions, carrots, and a deeply rich red-wine base.
Recipe Card
Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon Le Creuset Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 slices Bacon (cut into lardons)
- 3 pounds Beef (cut into chunks)
- 1 large Carrot (sliced)
- 1 large White Onion (sliced)
- 1 pound Fresh White Mushrooms (quartered)
- 18 to 24 small Small Pearl Onions
- 2 tablespoons All-purpose Flour
- 3 ½ tablespoons Butter
- 3 cups Red Wine
- 2 ½ – 3 ½ cups Beef Stock
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 3½ tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 pinch Freshly Ground Pepper
- 2 cloves Garlic (smashed)
- ½ teaspoon Thyme
Equipment
- Skillet
- Casserole Dish
- Sieve
- Knife
- Spatula
- Slotted Spoon
- Paper Towel
- Chopping Board
Instructions
- Chop bacon into lardons and cut stewing beef into chunks.
- Slice one large carrot and white Onion. Cut the white mushrooms into quarters and smash the garlic cloves.
- In a large skillet, sauté the chopped bacon for about 3 minutes until crisp and browned. Transfer to a large dish with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Remove the oil from the beef with a paper towel; cook it in the hot oil until browned on all sides. Remove it to the casserole dish with the bacon.
- Sauté the diced carrots and white Onion until softened, then add smashed garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until translucent.
- Drain off the excess fat and put the bacon and beef back into the pot, season it with salt and ground pepper.
- Sprinkle all-purpose flour, toss well until well combined and cook for 4-5 minutes until brown.
- Add peeled pearl onions, red wine and beef stock until the meat is covered. Now add in the tomato paste.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer until the meat is tender for two to three hours.
- Heat the butter slice in a skillet, add two garlic cloves, cook until fragrant, and then add quartered mushrooms.
- Shake the pan occasionally to coat the mushrooms with the butter until they are browned. Season it with salt and pepper, if required.
- Place a sieve over a pot. Remove the contents into the sieve and reserve the sauce only.
- Return the beef mixture to the pot and add the mushrooms over the meat.
- To serve, allow the casserole to cool completely, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before reheating.
Video
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe ?Tag @thefoodxp on Instagram and Hashtag it #thefoodxp!Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What to Serve with Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon le Creuset?
There are a few things you could serve as sides, but a simple green salad and some crusty bread would be the perfect accompaniment. The salad will help lighten the dish, and the bread will be great for soaking up all the delicious gravy.
Which red wine is best for beef bourguignon?
We recommend a good-quality burgundy for this recipe. We have used a $20 bottle of Pinot Noir as it is not very expensive but a good quality brand.
Which meat is best for beef bourguignon?
We tried brisket, chuck steak and stewing beef. But my favorite is brisket. This meat fell apart beautifully and tasted better than others, with a juicy outcome.Â
What can I use instead of red wine in beef bourguignon?
You can substitute red wine with other juices, such as unsweetened tart cherry, cranberry or pomegranate juice.
Conclusion
Making Julia Child’s beef bourguignon is a labor of love, but the results are worth it. This dish is the perfect example of why Julia Child is considered one of the greatest chefs. Follow this guide to learn how to make this classic dish.
