Happy New Year!
I’m back in Paris, home from a wonderfully relaxing holiday at my mom’s: Afternoons by a crackling fire; peaceful moments gazing out the window as snowflakes the size of a quarter dance down from the sky; hours in the kitchen teaching my mom how to cook French meals and recreating some our most treasured family recipes. And, of course, the family meals when we got to enjoy the product of all those gastronomic efforts. One of these delights was Boeuf Bourguignon.
If your butcher can give you a marrow bone, it will enhance the sauce!
For a long time now I’ve been meaning to do a video on Boeuf Bourguignon. It is one of my favorite French meals, the one recipe I always go to when I’m having a dinner party, and the first French recipe I learned how to make really well. It is perfect for a dinner party as you can cook it the day before – it’s actually better the longer you let it marinate in its own sauce – so the day of your party all you have to do is warm it up and serve. No standing over spitting grease from sautéing in your party dress with this recipe!
I have been making this meal now for years and my recipe is based on the famous Julia Child’s version, reinvigorated by the film Julie & Julia not too long ago, with modification from my belle-mère and conversations with several other French ladies who all have their own secrets on making a perfect Bourguignon. I sometimes get the feeling that every French family has their very own variety of the French classic.
French ingredients
In this video, I made a Boeuf Bourguignon for a party of 8 with North American ingredients. They are as follows:
- 250g (8.8 oz) lardon (smoked side of pork) chopped
- 1.2 kg (42 oz) stewing beef cut into 1.5 inch cubes
- 2 large carrots sliced
- 1 large onion sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic sliced
- 3 cups beef bouillon
- a little over half a bottle of red wine or 550 ml (Bourgogne, Bordeaux)
- 1 handful chopped parsley (plus several sprigs for plate decoration)
- 1 tablespoon pastry flour
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 New Potatoes/ persons (cooked separately)
- a Bay leaf
- thyme
- salt
- ground pepper
The preparation is a bit long, about 45 minutes. Cook at 400F for 2.5-3 hours. Reheat at 250F for at least an hour before serving, if made in advance. Plate the boiled and buttered potatoes covered with the Boeuf Bourguignon and lots of sauce over the whole. Serve with a simple green salad and balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
The video was too long for Youtube, so it has been cut into two parts:
Wine choice: Bourgogne, Bordeaux, Loire Valley in France or Merlot in the States.
Bon appétit!
Becoming Madame 
Your afternoons with your family sound idyllic, snowflakes falling – and time in the kitchen teaching your Mom, what a lovely thought.
It was a wonderful holiday. I hope yours was too!!
Love, love, love this recipe! It’s JTs specialty so I’ve never actually made it! Not withstanding, the fact that it’s better the day after is a time saver extraordinaire! Julia’s recipe is by far the best! It’s ironic that she’s famous for such a French classic and that she’s actually an American.
I’ve always thought that was funny too. Of course, she got her recipe from a mix of French friends and chefs she knew, so it remains a very French recipe. But it is absolutely her that brought it to an US audience! Funny.
This looks and sounds divine! We’ve prepared this before and though it does take time, it’s well worth it. Thanks for this new twist!
I think it’s so great too. And, I know I’ve said this before, but just perfect for a dinner party, since it’s all done in advance!
if I may say: if you pour the wine that quickly, you are going to have a great beef stew, but not really Boeuf bourguignon. the difference is to add very slowly the wine to the flour, and stir gently all the time, the result needs to be a bit on the thick side. this is going to be much longer preparation, but the result will be fantastic.
NB: I’m from Burgundy!
Hi there, I’ve never come up against the problem of the BB sauce being not thick enough (or stew-like). I have on occasion had to add, when I made this recipe in advance, a cup or two of bouillon the day of because the sauce was too thick. It may be a question of when you are going to serve it. But as I mentioned in the post, this is one of those wonderful classic recipes for which everybody seems to have their special ways and tricks. Thanks for sharing yours!! All my best.
oh good! I was saying that, because a neighbor tried and ended up with a stew. good, but not the real thing.
and you are right, there are variations per region [another example is le cassoulet!), even though it is originally from Burgundy
Thank you for this! I don’t have much confidence in the kitchen and your videos are so helpful. I’m going to try this recipe for our neighbors.
Oh thanks! I never thought I was any good in the kitchen either (never had any time to, really) and then little by little you try things and it becomes intuitive. It’s one of my favorite things to do nowadays! Thanks for letting me know the videos are helpful! I try to show exactly what I do, which I find so much easier than reading about it in a cookbook. I learn most of what I know by watching people here cook, helping them. I’m definitely a visual learner. 🙂 Thanks again Shary!
YUMMY!
On my way to the grocery to get all of the ingredients for tonight’s Family Dinner!
Never used “Pastry Flour” but will look for it …… hoping regular will suffice if I can’t find it …..
Thanks so much!!
I’ve been told and then read in several cook books that pastry flour is the best for thickening sauces… it worked really well at my mom’s house. I use regular flour at home. The key is to sprinkle it over the meat before you add the liquids, otherwise you will have that clumpy flour problem… Hope you enjoy!!
Quel agréable plaisir de se retrouver dans cette jolie cuisine canadienne pour réussir ce superbe plat bourguignon. Chaque région de France ayant sa recette spécifique, tu nous promets une année 2013, gastronomique !
Merci à l’avance pour cette perspective
I’d find it very difficult to leave that beautiful kitchen!
Moi aussi!!
I know! My mom did this renovation abot 6 years ago. She has a real nack for kitchens, which is kind of funny because she’s not a big cook. It is really something else! Thank you!
I love Boeuf Bourguignon!
Me too! 🙂
Our two adult children come home for Family Dinner every Tuesday and I served this delicious Boeuf Bourguignon tonight …..
RAVE reviews from all!
I also served your Tomato-Cucumber-Feta dish with a Greek Yogurt course!
MERCI, mon amie!
C’était superb!!!!!
Je vous en prie! I’m thrilled you like it! 🙂 Thanks so much for letting me know!
Lovely recipe and the video is well done. Merci beaucoup for sharing,
Thank you for your tutorial. I liked your suggestion to add a bone for more flavor, too. Your dinner guests are sure to be talking about (or making) this recipe. Me, too!
Recipe in progress… 45 minutes of prep are well worth the time. My kitchen smells fantastic!
We’re having guests tomorrow and I knew from having seen you put this up earlier this month that it was what I wanted to do, especially as it’s better to cook it the day before!
None of my French cookbooks require carrots, which I really wanted in mine so I’ve had to watch your tutorial to check when you put them in! My recipes also include adding mushrooms in the last 30 minutes of ‘cuisson’. I think that’s a nice touch but let’s hope I remember to do that in 2.5 hours…
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Thank you so much for this recipe and tutorial. I cooked it today for dinner and it was magnificent. There is plenty leftover so I’ll get to taste the difference after having been in all that sauce overnight. You certainly don’t need a big portion with this as it is so filling. Once again, thank you very much, this will definitely be a regular meal for me and it is so worth the preparation time.