Boeuf Bourguignon

Description

Boeuf Bourguignon - Authentic recipe from France. Ready in 210 min. Try it now!

1. 1

   Cut 150 g of bacon into small lardons (cubes) and render them in a heavy braising pot (cast iron) without any oil over medium heat until crisp. Remove. In the rendered bacon fat, sear 1 kg of beef (chuck, cut into 4 cm cubes) in batches over high heat until deeply browned — 5-6 minutes per batch. Remove.

   ⏱️ approx. 30 min

   💡 Tip: Boeuf Bourguignon is the most famous braised dish in the world — Julia Child's recipe made it globally famous in 1961. Deeply browning the meat is the most important step. Never crowd the pot — otherwise the fat cools down and the meat steams instead of searing.

2. 2

   In the same pot, sweat 200 g of onions cut into rings and 250 g of carrots cut into slices for 8-10 minutes until soft. Add 3 cloves of garlic. Return the bacon and the meat to the pot. Pour in 750 ml of Burgundy red wine (Pinot Noir) and 500 ml of beef stock — everything must be covered. Add 2 bay leaves and 2 tsp of thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low.

   ⏱️ approx. 15 min

   💡 Tip: Good wine is a must — 'Only cook with wine you would also drink.' A simple Burgundy (Bourgogne AOC) is enough. The wine must really come to a boil so the alcohol evaporates. 2 tbsp of tomato paste add depth — Julia Child's trick.

3. 3

   Braise in the oven at 160 degrees or on the stovetop (very low) for 3 hours. During the last hour: sear 300 g of mushrooms in butter over high heat (golden brown, not steamed) and keep them separate. Add the mushrooms 30 minutes before the end. The meat is done when it can be crushed with a fork. Season to taste — the sauce should coat the back of a spoon.

   ⏱️ approx. 200 min

   💡 Tip: Searing the mushrooms separately is a must — in the braising pot they turn soggy. The dish tastes even better the next day: chill overnight (the fat solidifies and can be skimmed off), reheat the next day and the sauce will have thickened.