Amazing Beef Bourguignonne

Boeuf Bourguignon is the dish that built Julia Child’s American reputation, and for good reason. The slow simmer of stew beef in red Burgundy with mushrooms, onions, and quiet French herbs creates something that tastes like it took a week to make.

The key technique is browning everything separately. Onions and mushrooms cook first and get pulled out. The beef chunks brown in the same fat (more layered flavor that way), and only at the end do the vegetables go back in for a quick reheat. Cook them all together from the start and the mushrooms turn to mush while the onions disappear.

Use a real Burgundy or pinot noir if you can. The wine carries the dish, and a flat or oxidized wine gives a flat, sour stew. The stock-to-wine ratio is one part beef stock to two parts wine. Anything more stock-heavy and you lose the signature wine-forward depth.

Keep an eye on the liquid level during the long simmer. If it dips below the meat, add more bouillon and wine in that 1:2 ratio.

Pro Tips

• Pat the beef dry with paper towels before browning. Wet meat steams instead of sears, and you’ll never get that deep mahogany crust.
• Brown in batches, never crowded. Crowded meat releases water and stalls the browning.
• Veal stock makes a richer, more refined version. Use it if you can find or make it.
• Make this the day before. Like most stews, it improves overnight as the flavors marry.

Variations

• Add a few strips of crisped bacon or pancetta at the start for a smokier depth and extra fat for browning.
• Toss in a handful of pearl onions instead of (or alongside) the sliced onions for the classic French presentation.
• Serve over buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or with crusty French bread to mop the wine sauce.