No.13 The 100 Most Popular Recipes Ever · October 2026

Boeuf bourguignon

Made famous by Julia Child

Photo: Arnaud 25, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

From Mastering the Art of French Cooking, 1961.

The dish Julia cooked on the first episode of The French Chef, and the one Julie & Julia made famous all over again. Beef stewed in red wine is the great Sunday dish of the West.

Written in our own words and tested in a home kitchen. Get the original in Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Ingredients

• 6 oz (170 g) thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4 by 1 1/2-inch strips
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 lb (1.4 kg) beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes, patted very dry
• 1 carrot, sliced; 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tsp fine salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 cups (720 ml) full-bodied young red wine (Burgundy, Côtes du Rhône or Pinot Noir)
• 2 to 3 cups (480 to 720 ml) beef stock
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 garlic cloves, mashed
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme and 1 bay leaf
• For the onions: 18 to 24 small white or pearl onions, peeled; 1 1/2 tbsp butter; 1 1/2 tbsp oil; 1/2 cup stock; a small herb bundle
• For the mushrooms: 1 lb (450 g) mushrooms, quartered; 2 tbsp butter; 1 tbsp oil
• Chopped parsley, to serve

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 450F (230C). Simmer the bacon in water for 10 minutes to soften its smokiness, drain and dry.
2. In a 9- to 10-inch heavy casserole, cook the bacon in the oil over medium heat until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.
3. Heat the fat until almost smoking. Brown the beef a few pieces at a time on all sides, about 8 minutes a batch; crowding makes it steam and turn gray. Set aside with the bacon.
4. Brown the carrot and onion in the same fat, then pour off the fat. Return the beef and bacon, season with the salt and pepper, sprinkle with the flour and toss to coat.
5. Set the casserole uncovered in the oven for 4 minutes, toss, and 4 minutes more. This browns the flour and gives the beef a light crust. Lower the oven to 325F (165C).
6. Stir in the wine and enough stock to barely cover the meat. Add the tomato paste, garlic, thyme and bay. Bring to a simmer on the stove, then cover and set in the lower third of the oven.
7. Braise 2 1/2 to 3 hours, keeping it at a very slow simmer, until a fork pierces the meat easily.
8. Meanwhile, brown the onions in the butter and oil over medium heat, rolling them so they color evenly, 10 minutes. Add the stock and herbs, cover and simmer 40 to 50 minutes until tender. Separately, cook the mushrooms in hot butter and oil in batches until browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
9. Set a colander over a saucepan and pour in the stew. Return the meat to the casserole with the onions and mushrooms. Skim the fat from the sauce and simmer it 1 to 2 minutes until it lightly coats a spoon (about 2 1/2 cups). Taste for salt.
10. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, basting. Serve with parsley, with boiled potatoes, noodles or crusty bread.

Chef's tips

• It is even better made a day ahead; reheat slowly.
• Use a wine you'd drink; it's most of the sauce.

This is Chef Amazing's write-up of the dish, tested for a home kitchen. The original is in Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child: get the book, No. 1 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks.

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