For the first time, I decided to take on Julia Child’s classic Boeuf Bourguignon recipe. I started making this recipe tonight full of hope; browning the beef, prepping the veggies, and as soon as I was ready to put it in the oven … it refused to turn on. I felt like I was having my very own true Julie / Julia / Alex moment. Is there something about this recipe that demands a catastrophic failure the first time you make it? Well luckily, my fiancé Zach was able to save the day and fix the oven. Luckily, as a thank you, I had a giant pot of Boeuf Bourguignon conveniently ready to pop in the oven!
This recipe is intensive. It takes time, a lot of love, and probably more than a few frustrated moments. But oh is it worth it. There’s something old-world classic about the flavors. Tender beef, buttery onions and mushrooms in a silky smooth red wine sauce. Serve it with a hefty loaf of crusty french bread to dip in the sauce, and you’re in for a very special dinner.
Ingredients
-
For the Beef
- For the Onions
- For the Mushrooms
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Peel and rinse the carrots, and slice into 1 inch pieces. Slice the onions into 1 inch pieces, set aside. Remove the frozen onions from a bag and set aside to defrost. Wash the mushrooms, pat dry, and set aside.
- Slice bacon crosswise into bite sized pieces. In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Place bacon in the pan and cook until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon and drippings to a large bowl. Drain excess bacon grease, and return pan to heat.
- Using paper towels, dry your meat on all sides so that it will brown well in the pan. Once your meat is mostly dried, add them to the pan in batches. Be sure not to crowd the pan. Brown beef on all sides and remove to the bowl with the bacon. Repeat until all beef is browned.
- In the empty pan, add the carrots and onion and stir occasionally to brown. Return the beef, bacon, and any drippings from the bowl to the pan. Add salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add flour, and stir again until all veggies and beef are coated. Place in the oven uncovered for 4 minutes. Stir, and cook another 4 minutes. This will help the beef develop a really delicious outer crust.
- Lower the oven temp to 325. Add the wine to the pot, and enough beef stock to just barely cover the beef. Gently mix in the tomato paste, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves. Cover the pot with a oven-safe lid and place in the oven. Braise for 3 hours or until the beef is tender. For the Onions
- In a large non-stick pan, heat the butter and oil on medium high until butter is melted. Add the onions, salt them, and cook for a few minutes (2 - 3) until browned. Add the thyme, bay leaf, and beef stock and reduce the heat to a medium low. Gently simmer for 30 - 40 minutes until the onions are caramelized. Set aside in a large bowl. For the Mushrooms
- In the same non-stick pan as the onions were cooked, add the butter and melt until lightly bubbling. Add the mushrooms in batches (be careful not to crowd the pan), stirring occasionally until light brown. Salt lightly, and then remove mushrooms to the bowl with the onions.
- When the beef is tender enough for a fork to pierce it easily, use tongs to remove the pieces of beef to the bowl with the mushrooms and onions. Set a strainer over a medium bowl, and pour the vegetables and sauce through the strainer, trying to separate most of the juice out of the vegetables.
- Place the sauce back in the dutch oven with the beef, onions, and mushrooms. On the stove, lightly simmer on medium high until the onions and mushrooms are heated. Serve the beef, sauce, and vegtables together in a bowl. Serve with slices of a crusty baguette to dip in the sauce and enjoy your hard work!
