Tender fall apart chunks of beef simmered in a rich red wine gravy makes Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon an incredible family dinner.
Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon (Bœuf Bourgignon in French) is a world wide loved classic for a reason. This is one recipe where you want to take your time cooking it, drinking a glass of wine or two while preparing it, and show it a lot of love. Every step is worth it.
In our recipe, we included four different cooking methods to make your life easier: traditional oven, stove top, slow cooker and instant pot or pressure cooker methods. Whichever one you choose, you will not be disappointed!
Beef Bourguignon
Adapting this Beef Bourguignon from Julia’s best seller, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, this dish raises a simple beef stew to an art form and is not too difficult to make at all. You don’t need to be an experienced cook to try this in your kitchen at home.
Even though it’s been remade all over the world countless times by families over the decades, it’s an extremely forgiving recipe. We cut out a few steps from Julia’s original to make it a little easier and maybe a little less intimidating. Still, I didn’t want to mess with something so perfect.
Julia Child = Genius.
How do you make a beef bourguignon?
I don’t know about you but when reading the original recipe from Julia’s book, I immediately became as nervous as Amy Adams’ Julie in the movie Julie and Julia. SO MANY STEPS. So I poured myself a wine and began my mission to follow AT LEAST one recipe in my life as best as I could.
The results were unbelievable. I can honestly say I have never enjoyed a stew as much as I did when it was done.
Trying it again and skipping only a couple of steps to attempt to cut down on some the work and washing extra pots; adding a little more of this and that, I have to say the results were just about the same but with a little added flavour.
What did we do differently?
- Julia’s first step is to simmer bacon rind and fat in water for 10 minutes, remove then proceed to fry lightly in oil. We skipped this and just went straight to frying until crisp and browned.
- When beef and veggies are in, Julia suggests to set the casserole in the oven for 4 minutes, then toss the meat and return to the oven for 4 minutes more. We skipped this also and opted to continue cooking over stove top. This didn’t make a difference.
- We added a couple extra cloves of garlic feeling we missed that particular flavour, and added more herbs into the stew.
- Also, Julia prepares her pearl sized onions seperate from the Beef Bourguignon itself, adding them in near the end of cooking. My family completely skipped over the onions in their bowls, eating everything else and leaving them behind. So, the second time around, I added them in with all of the ingredients, saving a pot and stove top cooking time, and the results were better for us. We saved the onions!
- Lastly, Julia asks us to wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it at the end of the recipe. This I couldn’t bring myself to do, wanting to keep every single lick of flavour in that pot.
I was left craving this the next day, so we made it again and again. No regrets.
What meat is best for beef bourguignon?
We tried this with a few cuts of beef: brisket, chuck steak and stewing beef (yes, the third time I made it was in our Instant Pot/Multi Cooker). Brisket yielded our favourite result.
The meat fell apart so beautifully and tasted better than the others with a juicy outcome. Having said the though, you can use whichever stewing beef you can find or have on hand.
Tips to an incredible Beef Bourguignon
- Taste test: We taste tested it immediately after cooking and found that the wine was an extremely strong flavour in the gravy. PLEASE don’t worry or try to adjust it straight away! Let it rest for 15 minutes and the flavours begin to settle into each other. The wine flavour mellowed out and we LOVED it. If you’re serving it the next day, the flavours are even better.
- Don’t skip the buttery garlic mushrooms. When I tried adding them in from the start, they had shrivelled up into nothingness by the end. They really are incredible added in fresh from the pan, plump and buttery. I couldn’t resist adding some garlic to them along with some salt and pepper. It added a lot more flavour to the end result.
- Simmer the gravy. Please don’t skip this step. After straining the liquid, simmer it for a minute or two and watch the magic of a deliciously rich and glossy gravy thicken before your eyes. If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock at a time to thin it out. However, if the sauce is too thin, boil it over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until reduced to the right consistency.
You should be left with about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Which red wine is best for beef bourguignon?
Julia recommends a good quality burgundy for her Beef Bourguignon recipe. We used a $20 bottle of Pinot Noir as we love cooking with that particular wine. It doesn’t need to be expensive, but try to get a good quality brand.
Worried about the amount of wine? Reduce it to 2 cups and up the stock to 3 cups (for oven and stove top methods only). If you don’t want to use wine, you can leave it out all together and use all beef stock. However, I cannot guarantee the flavour. The wine makes this incredible.
What do you serve with beef bourguignon?
Definitely Mashed potatoes! You can also serve it with plain rice or noodles. There is so much flavour in this, you need a fairly plain side to go with it.
Beef Bourguignon NOW ON VIDEO!
Beef Bourguignon
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons 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 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 bullion 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
Instructions
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 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.
Notes
- 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.
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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 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.
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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.
- Add browned mushrooms to the pot, let simmer for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to combine.
- Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice or noodles.
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Set Instant Pot or Cooker to SEAR function (or use a pan on the stove over medium heat of you wish). Sauté the bacon in 1 tablespoon of oil until crisp and browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
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Pat dry beef with paper towel; sear in batches until browned on all sides in the oil/bacon fat.
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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.
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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 to MANUAL mode. Choose HIGH PRESSURE for 30 minutes cook time.
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After cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 8-10 minutes. Open the valve and allow and remaining steam to escape (for Instant Pot, turn the valve from sealing to venting to release the pressure).
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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.
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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.
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Add the buttered mushrooms, garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice or noodles.
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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 6 quart (litre) slow cooker bowl.
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Pat dry beef with paper towel; sear in batches until browned on all sides in the oil/bacon fat. Transfer to 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Garnish with fresh parley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice or noodles.
Tove says
Love this recipe. Couldn’t find pearl onions so used drained pickled pearl onions. Worked like magic.
Sierra says
I made this the other day in my Dutch oven. Amazing! I skipped the “strain/ boil gravy” step entirely since it was plenty thick enough as is. Maybe because my Dutch oven is big and oval shaped, allowing more surface area to come in contact with the air? Anyways, we will definitely be making this exact recipe again. Preparing the mushrooms separately was a nice touch since they had a different flavor than the rest of the food but still went together perfectly.
This was the first ever recipe I used a Dutch oven for and it made me super enthusiastic about trying more recipes! Thank you for the easy to follow instructions.
Sandy says
I’ve always wanted to try making this since I saw Julie & Julia and I’m so glad I found your version! I don’t have a pot I can put into the oven (as tradition) so I’m so thankful to see there’s a stovetop version. Thank you for taking your time to do this and for sharing it! Really can’t wait to give this a go! 🙂
Maly says
So freaking good! ! Not being able to dine at my hubby and I favorite French restaurant during COVID, I wanted to surprise him and make our favorite dish there. I’m not a cook at all ( he does most cooking or we order out ) and this was very easy to follow. The flavors were amazing! I was planning on cooking it in the crock pot, but time got the best of me. I made it on the stovetop and it was great, but not tender enough. I will for sure try the crock pot version ASAP! Thanks so much for this amazing recipe.
Faith Donald says
I used the stove top method. This recipe is highly recommended. Slight variations – 2 large carrots (I wish that I used more), 2 stalks celery, 3 prunes cut in small pieces to add a bit of sweetness, no pearl onions, sauteed the tomato paste in the pan and then added the liquid, removed the lid for the last hour of cooking – it thickened nicely with no need to strain the contents. I just pulled out the thyme stems near the end of cooking. Served with mashed potatoes and a baguette – delicious! Thank you.
Hannah says
This was my first time making this and I want to thank you big time for the amazing video, clear instructions and everything!! You’re fantastic – but mine came out dry 🙁 somewhere I did something wrong and I can’t figure out what it was!! The only thing I can think of is maybe the pre-cut stew beef from the store wasn’t great? I chose a $20 Pinot noir and used 3 cups of it, and 2 cups of beef broth. I did 3 hours in the oven at 350 and when I pulled it out, most of the liquid was gone and I had about half a cup of ‘gravy’ in the strainer, so I just added more beef broth to the gravy and let it simmer on the stove to thicken it – any tips? Was this supposed to taste kind of beef stew-y or was that my bad choice in the meat part lol
Brian says
I would think that your pot didn’t seal well or the lid has a vent maybe? Over that long a period of time a lot of moisture can escape while it’s simmering in the pot.
Jones Family says
This recipe is incredibly good. Although mine seemed to come out with a little less liquid after sitting in the oven for 4 hours at 350, adding the rest of the beef stock seemed to work perfectly. I paired it with mashed potatoes, a loaf of french bread, generous amounts of butter, and a 2017 Louis Jadot Pinot Noir.
Steph says
My first time making or having bourguignon. Due to allergies, I subbed pork shoulder in for the beef and roasted red pepper purée for the tomato paste. It came out very well and honestly with the richness of the sauce, it was like eating beef. My pearl onions cooked down into nothing after 4 hours at 300 degrees, so perhaps adding them later in the process (maybe 2 or 3 hours in) would stop that from happening while still infusing them with good flavor. All in all, it’s a great recipe.
amy day says
Made this last night and it was delicious. I didn’t really understand the point of straining the beef in a colander after cooking, so I simply removed the bay leaves. I was left with very little liquid so just added a bit more beef stock at the end with the mushrooms. When I make again I will probably adjust heat to 325 and cook closer to 3 hours versus 4.
Wesley says
This is honestly the BEST thing I have EVER eaten. So intense and complex yet down to Earth and homey. The depth of flavors in this dish were so complex and diverse at the start of the simmer but by the end they had melded together in an absolute symphony of culinary artistry and gastromonic ecstacy. I used a beautiful cut of chuck and a midrange Pinot Noir in this and it was heaven. AMAZING!
Susan Oakes-Hauf says
This is phenomenal. Really exquisite. We love the beef brisket the best as well and my Le Creuset Dutch oven is made for this dish 🥰. I have found that 2.5 hours is long enough of a cook time in the oven. In fact, it’s perfect. Our favorite way of eating it is over spaetzle. Perfection!
Laura K says
Fairly easy to make recipe and decadent! You want to look like chef, this is the recipe. By far in my top 5 recipes of all time. I have made it in a pressure cooker and The stove top method. Both times I felt like I would have wanted more sauce as it is to die for!!! I serve it over mashed potatoes and more sauce for them as well as wanting to sop it up with crusty bread…. I used 2 cups of broth and wine. Next time I will try 3 of each. Divine!!!
Annie says
I love your adaption of this classic. My husband had surpised me for our 5th anniversary and took us to Paris, this meal was one of our favorites, so for our 20th… we decided to take a “trip” via food and made this! We did add the onions and mushrooms the last hour, and flet that made them amazing!
Melynda Parks says
Greetings Cafe Delites!
My husband’s (Todd) favorite dish is beef stew. For his birthday, I thought I’m going to tackle Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon. I looked at your modifications and was convinced to try your recipe . I used the traditional cooking method to prepare the brisket and excluded the pearl onions. I chose to make the mushrooms on the stove. For the mashed potatoes, I used America’s Test Kitchen recipe for buttery mashed potatoes.
Dinner was perfect!! Todd said, “I think this is the best dish I’ve ever had – at home or in a restaurant!”
That’s the best compliment I’ve ever gotten regarding my cooking skills – thanks to you and Julia Child!
Looking forward to trying your other recipes!
Annie Bennett says
Thankyou for the lovely tips on cooking this in different ways. So much care has gone into your recipes.
I have just bought an Instant Pot ( they havent been available in Australia until recently) & I was looking for an Instant Pot recipe & found yours, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou.
I will cook my Beef Bourguignon using the slow cook via the instant pot.
Julia Childs always recommends cooking her mushrooms ( sauteed in butter & olive oil) separately and adding them to the stew at the end of cooking time, before serving. She never adds them at the beginning as they dry out & loose their flavour.
After peeling her small pearl onions she also pricks both ends with her knife to allow flavor to further enter them . Totally agree with you to brown them & add them to stew while it cooks for enhanced flavour ( rather than at the end). Sorry Julia.
I will also use a Pinot Noir rather than a burgundy. I am fortunate to live in an area where excellent Pinot Noir is made so the rest of the bottle wont go to waste lol.
I so appreciate he effort you have gone to for the different ways to cook this. Looking forward to tucking in and a baguette to dip in the juice.
Borrowing from Julia – Bon Appetite 🙂
Annie
Elmer says
How do I make this a bit more ‘soupy’ than ‘stewy’? Add some extra beef stock? Or could I present this as a soup as-is?
Roxanne Finklea says
A few months ago I cooked the stove top recipe and did not like. Last night I decided this recipe would not get the best of me. So I cooked the instant pot recipe and it was so good. Will definitely cook again.
Maria S. says
I’ve made this dish twice now and it is now one of my family’s favorites. I cooked it using the slow cooker method the first time, used 2 cups of red wine with 3 cups of stock. Didn’t have beef boullion so substituted a couple canned anchovy filets. I added double the garlic and more carrots. In place of Pearl Onions, I used 12 pieces of cut shallots (about the same size as a pearl onion) and followed the rest of the instructions. This was amazing. 2nd time I made this, I used the oven method. All I had for red wine on hand was 1 cup of 1000 Stories Bourbon Barrel aged red wine and added 2 cups ruby port from Trader Joes. This time I only used 2 cups of beef bone broth (from Trader Joes), 1 tablespoon of good quality fish sauce in place of boullion. Again I couldn’t find pearl onions at my grocer so used shallots like I did the last time. This was absolutely delicious, I overslept from my nap and left this in the oven at 350 degrees for 4 hours. The sauce was much more reduced than the slow cooker method and the beef was fall apart tender. Next time I will follow others’ suggestions and keep the oven at 300 degrees and bake for 3 hours (don’t want the beef to become “machaca like”. The sweetness of the bourbon barrel aged red wine and port was a different level of umami and tasted even better the next day. Served with Persian herbed rice (Sabzi polo). Thank you so much for a better than restaurant quality dish to rotate on the menu. I do want to add I used Australian grass fed beef stew meat. I truly believe the quality of the beef makes a difference.
Maria S. says
Also, want to add that I added much more
fresh thyme by tying up a small handful along with 2 bay leaves with kitchen string and placed it in
the stew when called for.
Andrew says
So, you didn’t follow the recipe at all !
Michael Schertz says
I’d add the following steps which are truly worth the extra time (most of which is waiting):
1) Make your own beef broth with marrow bones. Do it nice and slow (2 days). The difference in task and silky sauce is hard to overstate.
2) Marinate the beef overnight in the wine with a little garlic and thyme. I know a lot of online studies/people say it makes no difference. Believe you me it does.
3) Refrigerate day the beef uncovered for 1-d days. I do 2, salt top and leave for a day, turn over, salt and leave ouot for another
The browning you get with this in the bacon fat makes the dish sublime; texture, taste, complexity.
Lastly I deglazed the mushroom step with cognac to add some smokey-iness.
I did appreciate the step where you strain the sauce and thicken and pour back over.
Kevin says
I had a bottle of cab sauv that I took one sip of and found it undrinkable so figured I’d cook with it. I’ve been perfecting my coq au vin recipe over the past year, but thought I would try something new so found this recipe and gave it a shot. Everything turned out delicious, though reading some of the comments I made a few tweaks. I cooked this in my dutch oven and used the oven.
First, I put the beef chunks in a bag with 1 cup of wine and the herbs for 4 hours. I would have done overnight, but the roast took a while to defrost. This is similar to what I do for coq au vin. I also added some diced sage, just because I had some on hand and like its flavour. I added that to the rest of the wine and stock when it was time to add.
I also increased the garlic to 6 cloves for the dish with the onions and used 4 fairly large carrots – 1 seemed really light. I pretty much followed the rest of the steps until putting it into the oven. I did slice 4 very large brown mushrooms into relatively large sliced to toss in while it cooked to release that earthy flavour into the gravy. I also added three sprigs of rosemary and 4 full cloves of garlic to the top of the dish before putting it in the oven for some added flavour.
I cooked for about 3 hours 20 minutes at 300 and the beef was pull-apart melt in your mouth at that point and I was left with a little over 2 cups of gravy, so that worked perfectly. I did add a touch of corn starch to help thicken it as I didn’t want it to reduce too much. I also added the garlic butter mushrooms, as suggested and served on garlic mashed potatoes, using greek yogurt, butter and a dash of sour cream for them rather than any milk. Delicious!
Nat says
Hi Kevin,
I noticed that you drew similarities between this dish and Coq au Vin. You may be interested to know that it is, in fact, basically the same recipe for both iconic dishes. The only things that change are the protein and cooking time.
Traditionally made with beef cheek or shin, the marinade, sauce and garnish are near identical.
Mandy says
I made the oven version of this today, and it was phenomenal! My grocery store only sells brisket in 10 lbs or larger cuts, which is way too much for one person (and I don’t have the freezer space), so I used chuck steak. I did 2 cups of Beaujolais wine and 3 cups beef broth, and based on several reviews saying 350 was too high, I cooked it at 300F for 3 hours, which was perfect. Falling apart tender, with rich complex flavors, and I was in heaven. I followed the instructions pretty exactly. I cooked the mushrooms separately and added them at the end so they were nice and meaty. And simmering the gravy on the stove top to remove the fat made a huge difference. It got so rich and creamy. I didn’t have anywhere near 2 1/2 cups gravy — closer to half that, I think. But it was great. Served over mashed potatoes and it was seriously to die for. Thank you so much! It was great to have a slightly simplified version of Julia Child’s recipe.
Only thing I will say is that this took me over six hours to make. 😂 1 1/2 hours to prep all the meat, veggies, herbs (which I did the night before, thank goodness). And then 1 1/4 hours to cook everything and get it into the oven. And then 3 hours actually in the oven, plus another half hour to finish up the gravy, mushrooms, and potatoes. But still, worth every second.
Deborah Schlesinger says
I wish I had read the comments prior to making as 350 degrees was too high and I had virtually no liquid left. So I added the remainder of the wine and more beef stock and although the sauce was not thick it still was delicious. Next time I will make it and cook at 300 degrees. It didnt take me as long to prep since my husband was my sous chef.
Niki says
This was sooo good that I forgot to drink the glass of wine I’d poured and also now have gravy down my front.
Made this using the pressure cooker instructions but had to modify a bit cos were still in lockdown here in New Zealand and I was missing a couple of ingredients. Reduced the liquid to compensate as l only had canned tomatoes. Also hadn’t realised l was out of carrots and bacon until I had already begun so had to leave them out too.
Julia Child would probably be horrified but I like my vegetables so, being lazy, added frozen peas and whole green beans when l added in the mushrooms.
Served with a pile of mash.
Wouldn’t change a thing although next time I will make sure l have bacon and carrots.
So happy there’s leftovers.
.
Susan says
I found that 350 was perfect if you only cook it in the oven for 2.5 hours.
vincent says
i love this recipe! thank you! very delicious! and you managed to simplify it too. amazing. ive been cooking this often and ill definitely be making it more.
Rex says
Oh wow…I made this today…The flavor is wonderful. I have made it before but never with Julia’s recipe. Never use another Just hers DELIcIOUS…..Thanks
Kevin says
Karina, your recipes are the best on the web. This bourguignon is amazing. I’ve made it several times now and it’s so awesome. Always trust Karina!
-Kevin
Winnipeg, MB
Lilian says
I made this last week since I wanted to learn how to many a new dish from another country and WOW this was a real winner. I served this with my whipped parmesan mashed potatoes and it was a WONDERFUL meal. I made this recipe with the oven (baking at 3 hours) using about 3 lbs of beef chuck in my Staub dutch oven. This worked better for me since it freed up my kitchen to make mashed potatoes and mousse for dessert. I used 2 cups of wine (Jean Bouchard Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon 2018) and it was outstanding. I did everything including the mushroom step at the end and cooking the gravy (my oxo fat separator really came in handy). I served this with wine and mashed potatoes but I suspect this would also be good with potatoes au gratin. This recipe was better than any other pot roast type recipe that I have found (including some from Disney). Make this and you will NOT regret it. It made us about 6 servings. As a side note, I found that the pearl onions like DISAPPEARED when doing the slow cooking in the over.
Lynn burner says
I was disappointed. I put in oven for 3 hours, 350 and nearly burned it. I followed recipe as stated w the liquid.
Emily Nilsson says
Wow. Just. WOW. I made the stove-top version today because it is COLD in April in Stockholm, and it was perfection. My no-sauce-eating, no-food-is-allowed-to-touch, meat-hating 5 year old gobbled it down (with EXTRA sauce, and all blended with her mashed potatoes) as did my carnivorous veggie-hating 3 year old. I had to make some adjustments since I didn’t plan ahead, (read; drank too much of the wine and didn’t save enough for the pot) or remember to buy fresh herbs… or pear onions. And I tripled the carrots because they’re always everyone’s favorite part. So I can only imagine how amazing this is when the ingredients and method are followed properly. Due to the water content of the extra carrots and regular onions I added, I had to thicken the sauce at the end. But again, THIS DISH WAS AMAZING. Now I want to try all the cooking methods for it. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS RECIPE!! Sorry for shouting— it was just that good.
Evonne Lee says
Cooked the stovetop version. Came out beautifully. I cooked a day earlier and it really does taste much better the following day. We ate it with mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potato. A keeper indeed.
Lynne says
I don’t normally comment on recipes but I can’t NOT talk about how amazing this turned out. I followed the Dutch oven version exactly and served it over mashed potatoes, and my husband and I loved it. It is a mouthwatering, flavorful dish that I will definitely be making again and again!
Joanna says
Amazing receipe! I’ve just watched the movie and the very next day I thought about making this beef. So yummy!
Maria F Cagnina says
I made the stove top version last night. I’ve never really gotten into French cooking because it seems so heavy. This was incredible! I served it in Pioneer Woman mashed potatoes and my husband couldn’t get enough. Thank you for this recipe. I wouldn’t change a thing!
PlateToPalate says
I prefer the slow cooker. It also allow you to use a greater variety of meat. When only braising the instant pot work best even on cuts like brisket. The brisket is always tender unlike other methods. Cuts like Arm Roast do best with a slow cooker. Often the most flavorful cuts are some of the toughest, even chuck roast and slow cooker works real well on those cuts as long as you let it cook the full duration. The tenderness occurs late in the cooking.
Gord says
Made the stovetop version in a dutch oven. I used chuck as my very knowledgeable French butcher suggested it instead of brisket. I used a smooth California cab (2 cups leaves some for the chef during the process) and beef stock. I had to use some corn starch at the end as the gravy was a bit thin. Wow, what taste, although I did bump up the garlic and threw in a touch of cayenne. Over mashed tonight, with a baguette tomorrow and will freeze the rest. A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I think I will try the oven version next time.
PlateToPalate says
I use 2 cups for pot roast and a cam of diced tomatoes but not for this dish. No tomatoes and more wine. You can also use less stock if you find it has too much liquid. Only the Instant Pot method need a lot a liquid. Simmering at the end is when it changes consistency. I use chuck too. I prefer brisket braised in an instant pot.
LEANNA COLLIER says
Hi, just tried the stove top method in a 4-quart Dutch oven. I was intimidated by other recipes that called for things like “lardons,” so thank you for breaking it down with tips. I do have some questions though. I HAD NO GRAVY. Flavor and aroma were incredible. I made half recipe using 1.5lb of stew meat since I had it on hand and 1.5 cups of beef broth + 1.5 cups of red blend. Couldn’t find pearl onions at Kroger in TN, so used extra chopped onions on that step. Tasted amazing but no liquid gravy. Ended up burnt at the bottom. Maybe my “simmer” was really a boil? I left the lid on and stirred occasionally, cooked for about 1.5 hrs at level 2.5 on my electric stove (9 is “high”). Meat was tender but no gravy. Should you not have ANY stuff collecting on the bottom of the pan? or scrape it up when you stir?
Also I made the bacon and beef in the same pan. Should i have de-glazed?
Thanks, I really want to make this again with liquid for the mashed potatoes!
Leann Collier, LaVergne TN
Barbara says
Made this recipe today!! Awesomeness in a pot
Used stove top recipe. Definitely the BEST!
Thank you!
Anna says
Made this for a third time tonight, I make it with Chuck Roast and a Pinot Noir (have used whatever is easily accessible). Always use the oven method as it is consistent heat and hands off. It’s amazing!
Jessica marta says
Delicious made some for my clients and they loved the taste!
Will definitely recommend
Susan says
OMG. I made this yesterday using the oven method, exactly as described. I used brisket and a very nice California red blend, with 2 cups wine + 3 cups beef stock, cooked in my new Le Creuset Dutch oven. Served over mashed potatoes. The result was SCRUMPTIOUS. Seriously. It did finish a bit earlier than expected for me, likely due to the Dutch oven, so always good to check it every now and then as it cooks. Will surely make it again and again. Also super yummy for lunch the next day ?.
Mark says
Made this last night for the second time in seven days and doubled the recipe so we’d have more leftovers. Our guests loved it and took the recipe home with them. I’m commenting again because I forgot to click the rating stars last time.
Birdy says
I plan to make this for a dinner party this weekend. When you doubled the recipe did you double everything? I’m worried about too much liquid if I double that too.
Mark says
Made this for Sunday dinner yesterday with a full bottle of Pinot Noir and a couple of cups of bone broth. Used the traditional oven method, setting the temperature to 305°F and leaving it in for about 3 1/2 hours. Reduced the liquid in a cast iron skillet. Served the finished dish over mashed cauliflower, which made this incredibly delicious meal reasonably low-carb too. Took your advice and used brisket; the piece I bought was close to twice the weight the recipe called for so the other half is brining in corned beef spices now.
The recipe was straightforward and preparation was easy. I plan on making this dish many more times. Thanks for your efforts!
Michael S says
Pretty tasty recipe. I cooked in the InstantPot. I cooked the bacon and browned the meat in a separate pan because I’ve had problems in the past with stuff stuck to the bottom causing problems with the pressure cycle working correctly. I also deglazed the pan I cooked the meat in with the wine. I used a chuck roast and even though I did a 20 minute release (waited 20 minutes after the 30 minute cycle), I thought the meat could have cooked a little more. It was cooked but not all the fat was rendered down which may be a pressure cooker thing. Also, it seemed more of the wine flavor comes through this way and definitely I had twice as much liquid/gravy as normal, but, I’m not complaining about lots of gravy! But, overall this a great way to cook a pot roast much faster than the normal 3 1/2 hours in the oven experience. Thanks!
Gina Ciarrocchi Zech says
Love this! Used the slow cooker option and it was delicious. I sautéed all the aromatics briefly and also added mushrooms — perfect to bring the flavors out.
Kim says
I plan on making this in the slow cooker this weekend and after reading all the comments I have two questions:
1. I purchased packaged stew meat but from all the comments it seems like brisket is the way to go. Will my meat not be tender if I use stew meat? I just hate having it go to waste since I purchased nearly 3lbs of it, but I also don’t want to put all this effort and come out with chewy dry meat.
2. The comments also indicate that the broth was not very thick in the slow cooker. Should I reduce the amount of wine and beef stock if cooking in a slow cooker? Add another tablespoon of flour? Or a combination of both?
Thanks!
Lynne says
I’ve been cooking your recipe for about a year, my husband is French and I’ve cooked various recipe over the years but he likes this the most and so it is our go to Bourguignon recipe now. Just wanted to say thank you.
Allyson Harvey says
This recipe was incredibly flavorful! I followed this recipe exactly as written (oven + brisket) but I ended up with only 3/4 cup of the gravy. Any idea on what could have went wrong? Perhaps cooking at a lower temperature?
Anna says
Made the Oven version, got a Noir from Aldi and used 2 cups of Wine and 3 of broth. It took 1.5 hours from prep start to placing in Oven and another 3.5 at 350. It was well worth it, did not strain as gravy was great. Stirred and check about every hour. Hubby approved which is extremely difficult for “pot roast”, left out the mushrooms as I don’t like them, but the overall flavor was amazing! Thank you!
Julia says
I made this last night and it was by far the best I’ve ever made. I prepared in a Crock-Pot. I accidentally got beef broth instead of stock but I used roasted beef “Better Than Boullion” instead of bouillon cubes and also added the seasoned vegetable version to make up for it. Talk about a happy accident – it definitely did the trick and will prepare this way next time! After 8 hours in the pot, I thought the broth was a little too runny so I scooped out most of the broth into a separate pot, added a little flour and let thicken then added back into the Crock-Pot and it was perfect. This served 10 people (some going back for seconds). This meal made a birthday celebration even better! This recipe is a keeper and now wondering if it’s too soon to make again this weekend! 😉
Cookster says
I agree with the other reviewers.
Halved the recipe, made the stove-top version and it turned out amazing (2.5–2.75 hours) This is a recipe that can be trusted…I will try out some more.
Cheers from the Netherlands!
Amanda says
I made this last night and it was the best meal I’ve ever eaten (no hyperbole here!). My husband agreed. I used a beautifully marbled chuck, and reduced the temp; I cooked it for 4 hours at 300, withholding the carrots until an hour before it would be done (though I did sauté them earlier with the onions). Speaking of carrots, I used 3 instead of 1. I served this on top of creamy, buttery mashed potatoes, and for dessert we had your apple crumble, which was also fabulous. We had this for Canadian Thanksgiving, because who needs turkey when you can have beef bourguignon! Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
Leah DeSarbo says
This was very good, however I am not sure how everything could be prepped in 15 minutes. Prep time took me about an hour 🙁
Mike says
The recipe turned out fantastic. Ensured to have the wine and beefstock as noted, and it came out flawlessly. Truly rich flavour, and have braided egg bread for others to have along with it. As was noted above, I prepped the garlic butter mushrooms about an hour before serving, and put them in, to help them stay plump. Will definitely be making this a number of times in the future!
Darlene says
We went to France last summer and we ate beef stew in one of the restaurants there. Upon reaching home, I wanted to replicate the delicious beef stew we ate in Paris and stumbled this recipe. I made it last weekend and my two teenage boys said this recipe was even better than the one in Paris.
Janice says
Burgundy is 6 hours east from Paris. Beef bourguignon is beef stew made like in Burgundy.
Bob Martyn says
Thank you for this amazing recipe! We built it in a crock pot, then went out for a motorcycle ride to enjoy the fall colours, coming home to a wonderful smelling house. Like a previous commenter, I found the slow cooker version a little watery, so I added a pinch (maybe 1/2 tsp) of gluten free flour while I did the mushrooms.
We ended the meal by finishing off the wine in front of a fire.
Life is good; thank you for adding to it. :-))
Jackie says
OMG! Made this last night to serve today and WOW is it insanely delicious!! My 16 year old daughter Isabel posted a photo on snapchat! Thank you Karina for simplifying the one and only Julia Child’s recipe. She would approve of the few shortcuts for sure! Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Jackie and Isabel (daughter)
Heather says
Is there a version that you think is best? Stove top, oven or instant pot?
Sabrina Burbanck says
Oven by far
BK says
Excellent dish. Made the stovetop version. Rich and complex flavor. Served over homemade mashed potatoes. An instant classic in my book.
Wande says
Wow! This is amazingly delicious! I made two changes. I thre the chuck roast on a hot bbq to brown it, not in a frying pan. Then I used shiitake mushrooms. Double yum! I will never use chuck roast as a pot roast again. Only in this recipe…forever!
Rebecca says
I followed the oven version exactly, using beef brisket and mashed potato on the side. What a gorgeous recipe, capturing the flavour of france so well. Time consuming but so worth it. My go-to BB recipe now. Thank you!
Chantelle says
Mmm!! I made this recipe in my slow cooker today and it was sooo good! I had a mishap opening the corked wine and ended up with bordeaux all over my kitchen ceiling! Eek! Can’t wait to make it again!
Judith says
Hi Karina,
I am from Australia and winter here at the moment. I am having a dinner party with about 10 to 15 people for a special occasion. As it is so cold at the moment I was looking at making Julie Child’s Beef Bourguignon and then I found your recipe. I love the look of you suggestions and variations, and therefore definitely going to try your version. I am also going to try it with you Mash Potato recipe. Would you recommend adding a salad or green beans as well as a side dish.
We will be starting the night with Champagne is celebrate the occasion, and therefore wondering if you any recommendations or suggestions to start the even with that will compliment both the Champagne and Beef Bourguignon. I was thinking maybe a dip and some cheeses. To keep it light and not to detract from the Beef Bourguignon.
For dessert, I was thinking something with Chocolate (for example chocolate lava cakes) or maybe go for some not as rich like Cinnamon apple crumble.
I really look forward to trying some of your recipes, they look and sound amazing. Any suggestions on how I can make my dinner party compliment the Beef Bourguignon would be greatly appreciated.
Kay Pea says
I pinned this recipe AGES ago and never got around to making it until a friend asked for cooking lessons. We made the IP version of this. The sauce never thickened and I had to add a cornstarch slurry to thicken it. My friends were still impressed, but I felt like it was missing something.
Feeling determined, I decided to try it again, but using the traditional oven method. Holy moly, the difference was NIGHT AND DAY. Each bite was like silk. I let one of my friends who tried the IP version also try some of the oven one, and she agreed that there was a significant difference.
Sometimes, the slow and painful way is the way to go. I will definitely make this again…on a weekend where I have nothing else to do lol.
Barbara Bedard says
If there were 5 more stars this recipe would get all 10! I made the oven version with brisket on Sunday and I’m still marveling at how delicious it all turned out! Other than using less garlic (just taste preference) I followed the recipe exactly. I’ve never been so excited for leftovers! Thank you for making this a go-to in our house!
Jacinta says
Made this for Mother’s Day and it was a hit. Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
Katie says
Will the sauce thicken on its own in the slow cooker? I accidentally did not allow the wine to thicken before adding to the crockpot.
Glen Rehr says
I did this meal last night and it turned out amazing. Opted for the stove top method in my cast iron dutch oven. Added a little extra bacon and garlic. Used Beaujolais for my wine choice because I had it in the house. Fresh herbs are a must as I feel they offer better flavor. Overall a great recipe which received great reviews over dinner. Also served with a french baguette with butter.
Hillary says
Oh my word!! This was absolutely amazing. I did add a decent amount of red pepper flake which was fantastic and extra carrots (because I love them). We had some friends over for dinner and had it with mashed potatoes & a few bottles of wine.
Can’t wait to make this again!
Karina says
Thanks, Hillary!
Indigo says
This recipe was delicious. Served it over some gnocchi. I didn’t have any mushrooms on hand so I didn’t add them but I’m wishing I had! Great recipe for a college student (me) – I’ll have leftovers for daaaaays.
Peggy Schramm says
Want to make this for relatives this weekend but my grandson has food allergies and I cannot use reg flour. Any other ideas on how to thicken? I used the original recipe years ago but am looking forward to making this.
Eb says
Arrowroot powder
Georgia Martin says
I used Garbanzo (Chickpea) flour for my gluten-free friend.
Diane says
I use cornstarch now to thicken gravies as my daughter is Gluten Free
brian says
this looks great and i can’t wait to try it this weekend. I’m really new to cooking and I will have to buy a dutch oven pot. But I’m not sure what size to purchase. would this be best in a 6 quart or a 4.5 quart dutch oven? the instructions call for a large pot but i’m so new at this that they both seem pretty large to me so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Meaghan says
So yummy!
My son loves the Ranger Apprentice books and, as any fan of this series knows, there are delicious meals being cooked by the rangers and described for the reader in detail.
My son brought a description of a beef stew, served in crepes, and asked me if we could make a similar meal together.
We used this recipe, wrapped in very thin crepes, with a bit of homemade horseradish cream sauce to garnish the plate.
Very, very delicious!
Philip Thomas says
Thank you. Your helpful info making Beef Bourguignon really brought the recipe to life. My family loved it!
Chelles says
This was fantastic! Give yourself plenty of time (took me almost 5 hours total, but I took lots of time cutting up a chuck roast and trying to get most of the fat off!)Thankfully most of that time is just enjoying the divine smell coming out of oven. I’m sure I’ll get faster the more I make it. Already planning on naking it again for friends in 3 weeks. It tasted like it was from a 5 star restaurant! Thanks for all the great tips and shortcuts!
Denise Cartmell says
I grew up eating stews, but my husband is not a fan. This sounds delicious! I was planning to make it one night when hubby had a work event, but it fell through. So, despite him not liking stews, I plan to make this on the 18th of Feb when the kids are home from school, no after school obligations, and time to make a delicious meal! I will follow up with comments and reviews, but I feel this will be a winner. Thanks for the recipe, tips and reviews!
Jqcau says
I have just finished cooking this- at least it’s simmering away right now. The house is filled with the most delicious aroma and the cooking seems to be going to plan. The instructions were easy to follow and I liked the way you repeated the quantities in the instructions so that I didn’t have to keep scrolling up to see how much of something I had to put in. This simple addition to the method makes life so much easier when following a recipe for the first time. The mushrooms are awaiting their garlicky butter and then we’ll be able to eat! Thanks so much for sharing.
Mike says
like Some other comments here, I have never felt compelled to comment on a recipe until now. This is really good. Myself and my partner both work in the catering industry and loved the results.
I added button mushrooms towards the beginning, used pancetta and intended to add the garlic mushrooms as instructed as well but these were too tasty and ended up being a sneaky starter (for just me!).
I also made spring onion and pancetta mash to go with it. Start this as the main goes into the oven. Fry the pancetta until it softens, add spring onions for a couple of minutes, plenty of butter and then milk. Let it warms through then rest on the side for all the flavours to infuse into the milk.
Another tip, if the gravy is too thin you can reduce in part but adding a knob of butter also helps to thicken and adds to the silky texture. Very naughty but a great winter treat.
Tom says
Fantastic recipe but there is no way anyone could accomplish this in the 3 hours and 15 minutes the recipe says it will take. Give yourself at least 4 hours.
Jack says
Can you freeze leftovers?
Robert Prince says
Don’t see why this can’t be frozen – I freeze my stews all the time. Just be sure to let it cool completely before coveing and putting in freezer.(overnight would be best)
Meredith Whitehorn says
Yes. We just had it out of the freezer and was nicer the second time around
George says
Will this fit in a 6 cup Instant Pot ?
Gina says
I made the crock pot version tonight with stew meat and it was perfect. I did not have to strain it. I cooked on high for 5 hours and the gravy was thick and beautiful. My husband is a very picky eater and went back for seconds.
Michele says
I never leave comments but I just had to for this! We have just finished it… it was DELICIOUS!! So good!!! ? the mushrooms were delicious!
Marcia Vaca says
This is the best recipe ever! I’ve been wanting to make this for a long time. Made it last night and it was just magnificent!! Thanks for the tips and tricks. Made it exactly as said and it was owesome!
Larry&linda Head says
We will try this tomorrow, this looks fabulous, and thank you for including the separate ways to cook the it! I’m patting myself on the back for following y’all!
Peter Beckles says
Additionally, I flamed 1/2 cup of cognac at Step 3 before returning bacon and beef to the pot.
Astonishing!!
Gordon Lancaster says
The cognac addition is a “Barefoot Contessa” addition.
Jean says
I used a tritip cut of beef and a Merlot wine. It was over the top good! I do agree with you about saving every lick of flavor from the pans! I thought straining the liquid was not going to be necessary step (the gravy was thick enough). I poured it into the pan at the end of cooking the mushrooms. This was the flavor I was looking for! Great recipe!
Peter Shaw says
I made this last night for the 2nd time and impressed our friends. I didn’t add the beef bouillon (something that seems to have disappeared here in Cyprus) but adjusted the the flavour of the gravy with more wine.
A great recipe that not only tastes good but smells marvellous while cooking.
Brittany says
I made the stovetop version and it was to die for! Oh my goodness, it was the best thing I’ve made in a long time! My family loved it and is wondering when I’ll make it again! Thanks for the recipe!
HEB says
I’ve never commented on a recipe before but felt compelled to this time because this was incredibly tasty! My New Year’s resolution was to up my cooking game as my significant other does 99% of the cooking. This was the first thing I attempted and wow so flavourful! My boyfriend was very impressed and so was I! I did the stovetop version and only made slight adjustments — supermarket didn’t have pearl onions so I used shallots instead and put them in about an hour into simmering time so they would hold their shape. I halved the amount of mushrooms and meat since it was just the two of us but kept everything else (amount of garlic/onions/etc) the same. It made enough for leftovers for 2 the next day (when it was even better than the night before!) so 4 portions total. I used already cubed pancetta instead of bacon to save on chopping up time. And I left the pot uncovered for the most part so it would reduce and thicken which it did very nicely toward the end. I definitely think it’s worth going to a proper butcher to get high-quality meat for this (local butcher didn’t have brisket but had stewing beef). Thank you SO much for this recipe — started my new year with a bang but only downside is now I don’t think I’ll be able to top this!
Karina says
I’m so glad to hear that HEB! Happy New Year!
Y says
Really enjoyed this. Thanks
Cindi Swift says
This recipe was beyond fantastic. Easy steps to follow. I made the stovetop version. It looked, tasted, smelled and presented exactly as shown. I didn’t change a thing. This will definitely become at least a monthly dish in our home!
Kyle says
I made this yesterday in the slow cooker. It was INCREDIBLE. I did strain the sauce and skimmed off the fat, but couldn’t quite get it to thicken up as much as I would have liked. It was no matter, though. I served it over horseradish mashed potatoes and it changed my life. No leftovers, tragically. Will be making again ASAP.
Jane says
If you want it to be thicker add some more flour
David Blanks says
I used brisket in the recipe. I did the stove top version and the meat is somewhat tough. Any idea why that could have happened? This would have been an awesome dish had I not messed up. Thanks for the recipe I will try this again.
Karina says
Hi David, I’m sorry to hear that! I’m not sure what could have gone wrong. It’s possible it was over cooked?
Candy Myers says
I would guess that it was undercooked. Meat will tenderize if you cook it long enough. When I read this recipe, I though “no way will that meat be tender”. Cook the meat in the gravy for awhile (like an hour or longer – the longer the more tender I guarantee it) but be sure to hold back the carrots and mushrooms as they will disintegrate in that amount of time. Be sure to add in the veggies and give their time in the gravy though (it’s what makes them yummy).
Cindy says
Wonderful. I also did the stovetop version and used chuck roast. I had to increase the cooking time to about 3.5 hours for the meat to be tender enough. It was not tender at 2.5 hours. I also reduced the broth to 1 cup. The sauce was still too thin for my liking so I left the lid off for the last hour plus of cooking to evaporate some of the liquid. It was wonderful and lots easier to prepared than the original Julia Child version! Thanks for including all the various cooking methods.
Elle says
try using a pressure cooker or a dutch oven.
Lisa says
Was the meat marinated? If not that’s what makes it tender sometimes we have to use beef base to tenderize the meat as well
Lori says
I would definitely say undercooked. Brisket and chuck roast (and other cheaper cuts of beef) will be tough if not cooked long and slow. Overcooking will make the meat dry but not tough. You know the meat is cooked exactly right when a fork easily pierces the meat and pulls it apart.
Kar says
Hi there. Not sure if you’re still interested in responses. But I had a similar situation, so then I put it in the oven covered on low (250-300) for a couple of hours and it was perfect after that. Hope this helps!
Cindy says
If making the day before, should I save the mushroom step until re-heating the next day? Or is it still ok to do as the last step and then re-heat with the whole dish? Thanks! Can’t wsit to try for Christmas Eve dinner!
Karina says
Hi Cindy! I would make the mushrooms the next day as I love fresh, plump and juicy mushrooms. But it’s up to you. Go with what is easier for you. The mushrooms aren’t terrible the next day, they are super soft and delicious. I hope that helps!
Cindy says
Thank you! I will do them the day of serving! Will let you know how it turns out!
Karina says
Great! Enjoy and happy holidays!
Cindy says
Help! So I made the oven version and while the meat looks fork tender and the sauce is flavorful, I didn’t get anywhere close to 2.5 cups. Serving it tomorrow, will it be on to add more stock to it when re-heating? Was afraid to do it for fear it would dilute the rich flavor. Sorry for so many questions! I’m a novice cook and really wanted to try something a bit more impressive than Jan my usual blah fare.;) Thank you!
Joanne Cabreira says
I did the same! It is beautiful looking but need more sauce – can anyone recommend how to fix?
Jennifer L McCool says
First time I ever made this. I used Brisket (Perfect). By the time I added the wine it was almost enough liquid so I didn’t get to add much beef stock so I added an extra beef bouillon. It seemed a little soupy (just covered the meat like instructed) but ended up cooking down and was perfect. I added a little extra garlic, thyme and parsley to recipe. I cooked in oven using my dutch oven. I didn’t strain the liquid at the end because it was thick enough. I’m also all for less steps. I made mashed potatoes with it. I WILL be making this again. It was delicious.
Karina says
That’s great Jennifer! The soupy liquid freaked me out too at first and watching it turn into a thick gravy is magic. I’m so glad you put your own spin on it! The less steps the better 😉
Helen Morante says
Hi Karina
Forgot to ask what cut of brisket should I use for beef bourguignon?
Thanks
Karina says
Hi Helen! We only get one cut here at the butcher and it doesn’t specify what cut it is. I’m so sorry I couldn’t be of more help! Hopefully someone has the answer for you!
B Bodyiak says
Since I cannot think of different cuts of brisket, may I assume you are asking about beef brisket vs corned beef brisket?? You’ll want the packet to say “Beef Brisket”. Do not purchase corned beef brisket!
HELEN MORANTE says
Hi Karina:
I am going to try this recipe. Can you tell me what brand and type of wine you used?
Thanks very much
Karina says
Hi Helen! I use Brown Brothers Pinot Noir. I’m not sure where you are in the world, but a good quality dry red wine like a pinot or merlot tastes really great here 🙂
Emily Elliott says
Hi there! Amazing recipe – I cooked in a ditch oven using brisket at 325 for 3 hours. Though I can taste the amazing flavour – it’s seems suuuuuper salty. Has this happened to anyone? How can I mellow it down – please help! This is supposed to be for a dinner party tomorrow. I worry even with garlic mashed it’ll be too salty :/ HALP!
Karina says
Hello Emily,
You are welcome to leave out the pinch of salt and see if that helps any. There is also a possibility that the seasoned Dutch Oven could have added to the salty flavor. I hope that this helps when you make it. Please let me know how it comes out! Thanks for following along.
Linda Coucher says
Adding potato to liquid soaks up the salt and doesn’t change the taste. You can throw out or use the potato later.
Karina says
Great tip!
Sara S. says
Hello! I am planning on making this in the instant pot, but since I’m cooking for a work potluck, I might do a larger roast/brisket (maybe 4-5 pounds). How does this increase the cooking time in the IP? It will be my first time using one! Should all of the other ingredients be likewise increased? Thanks!
Karina says
Hey Sara! Cooking time shouldn’t increase too much, maybe 5 minutes extra? Also, I’d throw in an extra carrot, but the rest should be great! There’s plenty of liquid to cover that sized brisket. I hope it all works out!
Nancy in NJ says
For years I’ve wanted to try Julia’s beef bourguignon but was too intimidated. I thought to myself, all that work and expense and what if it didn’t turn out well but your post made me realize that I had to step into the darkness and go for it! And I’m sooooo glad I did. Your changes to the original were perfect as well as your detailed directions. After straining the sauce and cooking it down for a short while, the texture was like velvet and the taste perfect. Thanks so much for another great recipe!
Karina says
Hello Nancy!
I am so glad that you gave it a try and that it turned out so well. That makes me so happy to hear. Thanks for following along with me. xo
Michelle Eyre says
Get the BRISKET!!! This was amazing. I did the oven version it was a lot of work for one person to manage but sooooo worth it. I also skipped adding the pearl onions and I was only makeing it for 2 people so i used 2 pounds of brisket but still used 2 cups of wine and stock and my sauce once strained and simmered was perfectly thick!!! This was the most flavorful meal i have ever made… i cant recommend the brisket enough i cooked at 325 for 3 and a half hours thr mesn couldn’t of been more tender ans juicy!! Make this!!!
Deanna says
Which method would you say comes out the best ?
Karina says
Hello Deanna!!
They are all great options. It really depends heavily upon the time that you have to prepare the meal. Please let me know what option you decide and how you like it! Thanks for following along! xo
Wendy says
The sauce was too runny in the crockpot version. How can I thicken it up?
Karina says
A little extra flour usually does the trick. Hope that helps and tastes great for you! XO
Doug Slager says
My favorite method for thickening is Instant Mashed Potatoes. Go easy with them, though.
Stephanie B says
Great recipe! I tried this today in my slow cooker. The flavors turned out great but the meat is kind of dry.. should I cook it for less time?
Thanks!
Stephanie
Karina says
Yes, less time would be great! Thank you for sharing and letting me know! XO
Porto says
The recipe was pretty easy to follow…I would not recommend using packaged stew meat – not enough marbling to add flavor or texture to the dish. I cooked mine in an IP, and while the meat was fork-tender, it was DRY…so dry, even with the gravy, it was inedible.
Karina says
You definitely need a good marbled meat. Thanks for the feedback!
Jo says
We have just finished eating this and it was amazing. The tastes were awesome. If you eat a mushroom on its own you can still taste that you cooked it in garlic butter beforehand and then adding to pot. I did the slow cooker version. Yummmmmmmy!
Melody Pokluda says
I made this last night, it was delicious!!!. I did the oven method using merlot and I chose brisket. The recipe was easy and will definately make again. I did not strain liquid only because my liquid was already gravy thick when I pulled it out of the oven and no fat to skim off. Making the mushrooms at the end was perfect. Served over Zucchini noodles for low carb. Thank you for such a great meal.
Karina says
AW! That sounds perfect! Thank you for sharing with me! I love how you made it your own! XO
Emily says
I used sirloin steak pieces, beef broth and 2 cups of Merlot, took out the bay leaves but did not strain the sauce. I used the traditional oven method and it was perfect and my family loved it! I served it the next day. Your recipe is excellent and next time I will try the Instant Pot version. Thank you for sharing!
Karina says
That sounds delicious! Thank you so much for sharing! It is great to hear how you made it! Thank you for choosing one of my recipes! XO
Catherine says
Made this tonight, served over mashed potatoes. It was amazing! I was intimidated, because I’ve never cooked anything like this before. This recipe was easy to follow, and delicious!
I used Pinot noir, and made the stove top version. Will make again!
Sonia says
Hi,
I came upon this recipe and I am so excited to make it! Just a quick question… In the stove top version, do I need to empty the pot to separate the gravy from the meat? Or does one skip this step? Thanks!
Karina says
You can if that is easier for you. You do not need to though. Enjoy your soup! XO
Chris says
For the instant pot version of the recipe, am I missing when at which point you are supposed to add the beef? I see that you re-add the bacon, but I don’t see when to re-add the beef again.
Sue says
Made this a few days ago using the slow cooker. It was fabulous. My husband has already asked me to make it again
Chris says
When you say to adjust oven temp, is cooking at 300 degrees for the 3-4 hours good or should it be lower? I know it is not supposed to boil so don’t want it too hot.
Karina says
Yes, that is correct! Thanks for choosing one of my recipes! XO
Lee says
I used Pinot Noir in the Instant version and served it over mashed potatoes. Both my husband and I loved it. I don’t like wine except in cooking and this was just right. I am looking forward
to trying it with the brisket as I Used stew meat this time. I
Dianne says
Karina, I happened upon your website this week when I decided on the spur of the moment (oh, OK, after watching Julie and Julia last weekend) to make boeuf bourguignon and needed a list of ingredients. I’d previously used Julia Child’s recipe in The Art of French Cooking. Yours was such a great update! I generally use a recipe as a starting point, but I’ve been slavish in following Julia’s directions. You’ve freed me from those steps that I was afraid to do away with – and also liberated me from the pearl onions. (Elsewhere, I’ve seen shallots suggested as an alternative to them. I might try that another time.) I made your oven version, and it was delicious. I’m so happy that I’ve found you. Thank you!
Cari Lewis says
Made this with venison using the traditional oven method. The flavors were perfect for it! The dish is ahhh-mazing!!! Thanks for sharing!
Erin says
planning on making this with venison this week. so glad you mentioned that it worked out well with this alternate stewing meat! thanks
Lori says
I made the stove top version for dinner last night. It was excellent!! I used 2 1/4 cups of Kitchen Basics beef stock ans 2 3/4 cups of a Merlot wine. I did add the pearl onions and I served it over mashed potatoes. Everybody loved it! I will be making this often! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe.
Robbie says
Just finished making this…it’s in the oven and smells heavenly! Hurry up supper time! Thank you for the recipe, I have a feeling this is going to be a family favorite
Gina Mclaughlin says
I just made this last week & it was so delicious, my husband, daughter & I couldn’t stop eating it. He has already asked me when I’ll be making it again. Lots of steps, but so worth it. The only thing I changed was I added cubes of potatoes.
ramses says
very nice recipe! big thankx to karina! wonderfull website that i discovered recently! that will be my diner tonight with great happiness,anyway,i asked you about your way to prepare the couscous please! thank you so much for all what you do to make us appreciating your recipes.
Scott Landsverk says
What was your favorite cooking method of the three listed?
Karina says
Scott, I love the oven method. I feel the gravy thickens a bit better and tastes a little richer. The difference may only be slight, but it’s there ?
Caroline says
Just wondering your recommendations for freezing? Fab recipe!
Karina says
Yes, this is a great soup to freeze! Enjoy it twice with one cooking! XO
Annette says
This was amazing! The flavor was so fantastic and throughout every bite! I used a chuck roast and it was very tender. I used pinot noir and it worked well in the favor profile. may add an extra carrot next time and a bit more liquid as I had a pretty large roast. All the flavors blend together so well- everyone in my house loved it! I used a dutch oven to cook mine which allowed some time to relax before dinner. The house smelled amazing! Thank you for sharing!
Rachel says
Can I use beef broth instead of stock? I’m only familiar with the Campbell’s beef stock or the bouillon cubes/powder. Or how do you buy your stock? I’m hoping to make this for Sunday supper, TIA
Karina says
Yes, you can. The beef stock is just more flavorful and stronger in taste. Either works great though! Enjoy!
Michelle says
I made this for my friend yesterday who needed some comfort. I could not believe how so affirming this dish was!! I did make it without the pearl onions and I served it over mashed potatoes and it was absolutely freaking amazing. This will be my new go to comfort food in the fall and Winter. It was so luxurious and easy to prepare. Your modifications were spot on!
Michelle Sarah Sperling says
I made the stovetop version and it was INCREDIBLE!!! I think this recipe will become a staple in our rotation. Thank you!!
Jeff says
I made it pretty much as directed for the stovetop, except I used Kitchen Basics beef stock and sliced yellow onions instead of pearl onions. I also served it over country French sourdough from Panera bread (buttered with cultured butter and lightly grilled). Out-damn-standing.
Jenn says
This looks amazing! Will be cooking it for a pumpkin carving dinner party, but will definitely need to double the recipe. I’m going to be using the slow cooker method since the party is on a week day. Two questions: 1. Can I prep everything (steps 1-3), stick it in the fridge overnight, then just slow cook the next day (steps 4 and on)? Do you think the cooking time will need to be increased since it’ll be cold? 2. When doubling the recipe, do you think everything will fit in one large crockpot? And if so, how much (if at all) do you think the cooking time will need to be increased? Or do you think I should just try to borrow a friend’s crockpot and make 2 separate batches? Please let me know! Thanks! Can’t wait to make this recipe 🙂
Alicia Quinn says
This was great!!! I have made Julia’s original recipe from the book and it was too “winey,” took HOURS and was an exhausting process. Since then, I have been in search of “the” beef Bourguignon recipe and this is it!!! You must use a Pinot noir, or a Burgundy, other wines will not make it taste the same. I also added an additional “bunch” of thyme in the pot and removed the stems after cooking. Something that I learned the hard way is, if you are using a Le Cruset Dutch oven, it retains heat TOO well; reduce the oven to 300 bc the meat will dry out. I made a double batch at the same time, two same size pots, the le cruset pot meat was overdone and the Costco Dutch oven pot (same size) was PERFECT. I made the recipe, minus the mushrooms, let it sit overnight to meld flavors and made the mushrooms fresh right before serving the next night.
eddie says
I made the stovetop style and it is grand !!
Leanne says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made it in the slowcooker and I loved it! It was Absolutely delicious!! I had 2 plate fulls and have the rest for leftovers. My husband could not get enough. Definitely going to make this again.
Soni says
Thank you so much for sharing your version of this recipe. It was absolutely delicious. I chose to cook it in the oven.I couldn’t find the little onions so had to manage with the smallest brown onions available.probably didnt present quite as nice but the flavours were wonderful.definately a keeper.
JUDITH says
HELP! Im trying to print the recipe for beef bourguignon and its not letting me!
Karina says
Oh no! I am so sorry. I hope you got it to print. I was able to click print and printed it from my computer. Let me know if you need any help!
Heather says
Thanks for this detailed recipe. I do have to ask – of the four methods listed, which is your favorite? Thanks again!
Karina says
It honestly depends on the day and what I am wanting to get done. They all taste about the same it is just the time that it takes to make it all is the difference for me! Thank you so much for asking. That is really sweet of you! Hope you enjoy! XO
Mike says
Hi…in answer to Tiff’s Twisted Kitchen….
About wine tasting tart in the pressure cooker option…check your wine…French style you’d put in the pot what you’d drink with it (the best you can afford). That said, you know that you need a lot less liquid in the pressure cooker and that indicated may be right for the stove/oven and possibly a slow cooker but the pressure cooker could do with less. A cup and maybe a half extra cup of wine and some stock may be enough…don’t burn it but if it’s way too thick at the end, you can add more hot stock or boiling water tasting as you go along. Two tablespoons of tomato puree is probably too much…try one desert spoonful. And make sure your veg/stock are/is fresh.
I use the pressure cooker all the time and use wine in many dishes and it has never tasted tart – red or white. I use very little liquid – often just half a wine glass full and possibly a splash of stock or hot water. That will do for a 20 minute dish. For 45 minutes (beef cheek, mutton shoulder for curry) then I would use more liquid.
Deborah Kos says
The beef bourguignon picture made my mouth water for it. It looks so delicious. This is a good recipe to try. Now, I am in the mood for this for dinner.
Shelley says
i am looking forward to making this dish. It looks so delicious. But I am at a lost how it says in the traditional recipe to strain the liquid and discard the herbs. Except for the bay leaves, the thyme and parsley would be hard to remove because they are chopped up. So maybe that was not quite what that procedure meant? The bay leaves should definitely be removed, but that’s not stated in the other cooking methods you describe. Also, I had trouble finding a three pound brisket and had to buy a whole one. There was half as much fat as there was meat! Nevertheless, I am making it in my slow cooker and can’t wait to try it.
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Donna Gregory says
This is a great recipe. I didn’t have any carrots, so I left them out. My daughter will not tolerate anything tomato, so I substituted pumpkin for the tomato paste and added a little Worcestershire. Otherwise, I tried to follow the recipe. I am not a very good cook, but even with my skills and the substitutions, it was fantastic. We served it with tricolor pasta.
Karina says
Sounds perfect! I am so glad that you made it your own! Thanks so much for sharing!
Mike Brownlow says
I believe the original JC recipe has the carrots being removed at the end when you sieve out th of gravy. Given they’ve been cooking for 3-4 hours. I do so as they’re close to mush and given up much/ all of their flavour. I add back fresh carrots in the last 30 minutes of the casserole cooking as we love them. On the sieved out gravy, I place back in a deep sauté pan and reduce and skim off the fat. Serving I add the meat, separately the onions and mushrooms, then add the gravy which I keep close to boiling as this keeps the Bourguignon hot after plating and serving.
Jean says
Can you put it together using the instructions for Dutch Oven then put everything in the crockpot. I liked the idea of mixing the thickening flour into meat and veg instead of the crock pot version of mixing the flour into the wine.
Tiff’s Twisted Kitchen says
Has anyone had any problems with the wine being to tart when using the Pressure Cooker?
I’ve had bad results with wine in the past due to the way the PC cooks.
Donna Ewing says
Currently on holiday in France, and never having cooked boeuf bourguignon before, I went looking for a stove top version as the oven in our apartment is tricky. Well Karina, thank you, I have to say the effort was totally worth it! With all my produce purchased that day at the local market our dinner was so good – I’ll definitely be preparing it for the family back home in Australia. I used only 2 cups of wine as we drink quite punchy reds and I didn’t want it to be over the top in richness. The sauce was perfect for our taste. Thanks again for your take on Julia’s famous recipe Karina!
Karina says
That is great to hear! I am so glad you will make it again! Have fun and enjoy France!! XO
QBall says
What an absolutely delicious recipe! I made it in my pressure cooker due to time constraints… every step was so worth it! The blended flavors are amazing! … everyone had seconds!
Karina says
Great to hear! I am so glad that the pressure cooker worked! That is a great idea! Thanks so much for following along with me!
Tarre says
The flavor in this dish is to die for. Absolutely delicious. I didn’t pay attention and used a chuck roast whole. I didn’t trim the fat, either. Also, I’m at high altitude and had to cook an additional 30 minutes (instant pot). I pulled out the meat and it slid away from the fat and bones, the rendered fat rose to the top and was easily removed, I pulled the meat into smaller sections, served with mashed potatoes and the wonderful sauce and bacon/vegetable mixture, and unless you compare her photo to my dish no one would ever know I messed up. Just wonderful. Thank you so much.
Debbie says
Yum, at first I laughed because I spent a good half hour cutting up my brisket, but then I got to thinking, it would make a wonderful roast, and you said it did. I will try it!
Claudia says
I made this for the first time yesterday and WOW. My partner all but licked the plate clean. I used the slow cooker version and it was simply divine. Thank you so much for brining an easier version of this dish into my home!
Jennifer says
Hi! Can I reduce the amount of wine if I’m using my Instant Pot? It said above to increase the amount of beef stock for oven and stovetop only. Would it stay the same for an Instant Pot? Thanks!
Karina says
Yes. of course! You are always welcome to make my recipes your own. Thanks so much for sharing! Enjoy!
Emily says
I’m going to be making about a third of the amount (1 lb beef). Should I alter the oven time?
Karina says
Yes, I would recommend not as long in the oven.
Sandra says
I made this in the oven last night and then put it in the refrigerator in order to eat it tonight for dinner. I did not do the last step where you strain the liquid off and simmer it separately. Is this necessary if the liquid is already pretty thick? Thanks, can’t wit to eat it!!
Karina says
That sounds great! I hope that you love it and it tastes delicious for you!!
Tom Good says
I have a large piece on beef tenderloin. Can I use this in your recipe?
Thanks
Karina says
Yes, of course! Let me know how it turns out! I hope you enjoy it!
Shey says
So… We live in Kuwait and don’t have any access to wine, can you recommend a substitute?
Karina says
You are welcome to leave it out all together. It will alter the taste because that adds so much flavor but I understand your area of living. Thanks so much for following along with me!
D says
I just made this!! It’s soooooooooo good! OMG. Thank you for this recipe.
Mary says
Fabulous!
Andrew says
Cooked this tonight for my wife and 10 year old daughter, they said before “We don’t like stew”.
10 minutes later it’s all eaten up!
Thank you for a great dish again. I used the stove-top version as I could not find my oven dish.
Andrew
Berkshire, UK.
Amanda says
I came on here ready to bombard you with questions. Can I do this in my instant pot? What if I don’t want to add wine? Can I add less? What beef do you recommend? Do I have to add onions? And to my surprise you’ve answered every question I had. I’m trying this in my IP right now, and maybe I’ll try it in the oven next time. Thank you for providing the flexibility in your recipes. I wish more sites would put as much effort in as you do.
Love from Texas
Karina says
Amanda I laughed so much reading this! You’re very welcome. I thought readers would appreciate all methods for a recipe like this. It‘s something I get asked all the time. I’m just glad to help! Thank you for your comment and for the laugh!
Kathryn says
This was easy. I followed it to a T. Omg delicious. Will be making again.
Maria says
Thank you for simplifying this recipe. I love that you added all methods. Think I’m going to try it in my pressure cooker since dinner is only a couple hours away for us! Thanks once again for sharing all of your fabulous work. You truly are an amazing human being.
Karina says
Hi Maria! I really hope you enjoy it. Be ready for the incredible smells that are about to come out of your kitchen!
Thank you so much for your kind words. You’ve made my day Xxx
Nancy says
Just wondering if you really meant Pinot Grigio wine in your recipe because that is a crispy white wine. I would have thought pinot noir (red) would be better suited?
Karina says
Hi Nancy. Yes Pinot Noir. I’m so sorry for the confusion!
Sheree says
Pinot Grigio is a white wine. Did you mean Pinot Noir?
Karina says
Yes I did thanks Sheree!
Shannon C. says
Pinot Grigio is a white wine isn’t it? I would use red!
Karina says
Hi Shannon! It was a typing error I’m so sorry. Thank you for picking that up! Meant to be Pinot Noir.
Wendy says
I have got to try this.
Thanks for waking up my taste buds!!
Karina says
I’m glad to be of help Wendy! ?
cheryl says
Pinot Grigio is a white wine – is that what you used? Or did you mean Pinot Noir?
Your photos look irresistible – I plan to make this, and since TJ has frozen pearl onions already peeled and ready to go, they are definitely going in!
Karina says
Cheryl I had a major face palm moment! Haha yes I meant Pinot Noir! I can’t believe I wrote the wrong one. Also, the onions are amazing in this. I have to say though I did prefer them falling apart and melting through the sauce. I think my family were on to something ?
Jens Frolich says
Wonderful.
Karina says
Thank you Jens!
Randi Heard says
You need to make a correction to the beef bourguignon recipe. Pino Grigio is a white wine, not a red wine. You referred to it twice as red wine. Do you mean Pino Noir perhaps?
Karina says
Hi Randi! Yes I meant Pinot Noir. Thank you for picking that up! Recipe has been adjusted.
Marjorie Williams Young says
Pinot Grigio is a white wine, not red, so which did you use?
Karina says
Hi Marjorie. I used a Pinot Noir.
Marilyn says
Pinot Grigio is a white wine. Did you mean Pinot noir?
Karina says
Yes I did sorry for the confusion Marilyn ?