Julia Child and beef bourguignon are two words that instantly make me smile. Julia Child remains, in my opinion, one of the most unforgettable cooking personalities of all time. Her warmth, confidence, humor, and love of good food still make home cooks feel brave enough to try something wonderful.
Beef bourguignon has that same kind of magic. It is rich, comforting, deeply savory, and perfect for sharing around the table with friends, family, and a good bottle of red wine. This simplified Julia Child beef bourguignon recipe keeps the spirit of the classic French dish while making the process easier for a home kitchen.
Julia Child famously described beef bourguignon as “certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man.” It is hard to disagree. Tender beef, bacon, carrots, onions, mushrooms, herbs, beef stock, and dry red wine slowly cook together until the sauce becomes silky and full of flavor.
This version is inspired by Julia Child’s beef bourguignon, but it is simplified for everyday cooking. It may not follow every traditional step, but it still delivers the hearty, elegant flavor that makes this dish so loved. Best of all, beef bourguignon is forgiving. Once it begins to simmer, time does most of the work.
If this is your first time making beef bourguignon, do not be intimidated. Prepare your ingredients before you start, use a heavy Dutch oven, let the wine mellow slowly, and taste near the end. The result is a cozy, restaurant-worthy dinner that feels special without being fussy.
As Julia Child also said, “I enjoy cooking with wine, sometimes I even put it in the food…” That quote is especially fitting here.
🤔 Beef stew versus beef bourguignon
The main difference between a classic beef stew and beef bourguignon is the red wine. Beef bourguignon uses dry red wine as a major part of the braising liquid, which gives the sauce its deep color and complex flavor. Pinot Noir works beautifully, while Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are also good choices.
🥩 What beef cuts should you use?
Use a beef cut suited for slow cooking. Chuck roast from the shoulder is my favorite because it becomes tender and flavorful as it simmers. A thick slab can be cut into even 1-inch cubes. Smaller pieces cook faster, while larger pieces may need more time to become tender.
❓ Stovetop versus oven
You can make beef bourguignon on the stovetop or in the oven. The stovetop gives you more control because you can adjust the heat, stir occasionally, and taste as the sauce develops. If the sauce needs thickening near the end, you can remove the lid and let it reduce gently.
The oven is also a popular method because heat surrounds the Dutch oven more evenly. It also frees up the stovetop for mushrooms, noodles, or other side dishes. However, the oven method can take longer.
⭐ Note: When cooking on the stovetop, stir occasionally because the heat comes from below the pot. In the oven, the heat is more evenly distributed, so stirring is less important.
👨🏻🍳 Julia Child’s recipe, simplified
Julia Child’s original beef bourguignon includes more steps and takes more time. This simplified version keeps the essential flavors while streamlining the process. The one step I would not skip is cooking the mushrooms separately. If mushrooms simmer in the Dutch oven for the entire cooking time, they can lose their shape, texture, and flavor. Sautéing them at the end in butter and garlic keeps them delicious and noticeable in the finished dish.
🥄 Taste, taste, taste
Tasting is important, but with beef bourguignon, timing matters. Early in the cooking process, the sauce may taste strongly of wine and may seem under-seasoned. That is normal. The wine needs time to mellow, reduce, and blend with the beef, bacon, vegetables, tomato paste, and herbs.
Taste the sauce before adding the mushrooms, then taste again before serving. At that point, you can adjust with a little more kosher salt if needed. A useful trick is to taste a spoonful of sauce, then taste another spoonful with a tiny pinch of salt. If the salted spoonful tastes better, add a small amount of salt to the pot and taste again.
Like many slow-cooked dishes, beef bourguignon often tastes even better the next day. If you have leftovers, refrigerate them in the Dutch oven or an airtight container for up to two days. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of stock or water if the sauce has thickened too much.
🔪 Mise en place
Because this is a French-inspired recipe, let’s use the classic term: mise en place. That means having every ingredient cleaned, cut, measured, and ready before you start cooking. For beef bourguignon, this makes the whole process smoother and much more enjoyable.
Pat the beef dry and cut it into 1-inch cubes. Season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, then set it aside. Cut the bacon into 1-inch pieces.
Use a sharp knife to cut the stacked bacon strips into neat pieces.
The goal is to have evenly sized bacon pieces that cook at the same rate.
Peel and cut the carrots into 1-inch pieces. Roughly chop the onions or shallots. Depending on their size, quarter, halve, or leave the mushrooms whole. Peel the pearl onions, mince the garlic, chop the parsley, and prepare the thyme and bay leaves.
Have the beef stock, red wine, tomato paste, flour, butter, vegetable oil, kosher salt, and black pepper ready before the pot goes on the stove.
🍲 Let’s start cooking
A Dutch oven is ideal for this simplified beef bourguignon recipe because it holds heat well and gives the beef plenty of room to brown and simmer. Heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until it begins to render and lightly brown, then remove it with a slotted spoon.
Add the beef cubes in batches, making sure they sizzle when they touch the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pot. If the pieces are too close together, they will steam instead of brown. Browning adds flavor, so take your time with this step.
After the beef is browned, sauté the carrots and onions for a few minutes, seasoning them lightly with salt and pepper.
Return the bacon and beef to the Dutch oven, sprinkle in the flour, stir well, and cook briefly. This helps thicken the sauce as the stew simmers.
Add the red wine, beef stock, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaves, and pearl onions. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender and the sauce has developed a rich, savory flavor.
🥘 Sautéing the mushrooms
When the beef bourguignon is nearly ready, sauté the mushrooms separately. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat until it bubbles lightly. Add the minced garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender. If the pan seems dry, add a little olive oil or more butter.
🍽 The finishing touches
Add the sautéed mushroom, garlic, and butter mixture to the Dutch oven and stir gently.
Serve the beef bourguignon over buttered extra-wide egg noodles, mashed potatoes, rice, or your favorite side dish. Finish with chopped parsley and enjoy while warm.
Looking for more delicious dinner ideas? Try these recipes next:
- Red Wine Braised Short Ribs in a Dutch Oven
- One Pot Sausage Meatballs with Pasta
- Creamy Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms and Fresh Parsley
- Chili con Carne
- Slow Cooked Pulled Pork
- Sheet Pan Dinner: Hanger Steak with Mushrooms and Carrots
- Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings from Scratch
- Grilled Marinated Leg of Lamb
- Learn How to Deglaze
Did you make this simplified Julia Child beef bourguignon recipe? Let us know in the comments below.
📝 Recipe
Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon Recipe, Simplified
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds beef chuck shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 6 ounces bacon, cut into 1-inch squares
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 ½ cups yellow onions or shallots, roughly chopped
- 2 cups dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Merlot
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups beef stock or bouillon
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or a few fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves, removed before serving
- 10 pearl onions, optional
Mushrooms
- 10 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, quartered or halved depending on size
- 2 tablespoons butter, plus more if needed
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- Olive oil as needed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Additional Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped
- 1 pound egg noodles
Instructions
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Pat the beef dry and cut it into 1-inch cubes. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper. Set aside.
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Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
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Add the bacon and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
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Brown the beef cubes on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Do not overcrowd the pot. Remove the beef and set aside with the bacon.
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Add the carrots and onions or shallots. Cook for about 3 minutes, then season lightly with kosher salt and black pepper.
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Return the cooked bacon and browned beef to the Dutch oven. Add the flour, stir well, and cook for 2 minutes.
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Add the red wine, beef stock, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaves, and pearl onions. Bring to a boil, stir, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cover.
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Stir every 15 minutes to maintain an even simmer and prevent sticking.
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After about 1 ½ hours, check the beef for tenderness and taste the sauce. Add more kosher salt only if needed.
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When the beef bourguignon is nearly ready, melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat until it gently bubbles.
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Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the mushrooms.
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Cook the mushrooms for about 5 minutes, adding a little olive oil or more butter if the pan seems dry. Season with salt and pepper.
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Add the sautéed mushrooms, garlic, and butter to the Dutch oven. Stir gently to combine.
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Serve over buttered egg noodles or your preferred side dish.
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Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
The wine needs time to mellow into the sauce. If you taste too early, the flavor may seem sharp or wine-heavy. Be patient and adjust seasoning near the end of cooking.
Taste before adding the mushrooms and again before serving. Add kosher salt only if the sauce needs it.
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Carbohydrates: 106g
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Protein: 60g
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Fat: 39g
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Sodium: 1332mg
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