Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon Recipe

To start, blanch the bacon to mellow its smoky edge. Drop the bacon slices into 2 quarts of cold water, bring it to a boil, and then simmer for 6 to 8 minutes.

Drain the blanched bacon, rinse it under cold water, and pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels. In a large frying pan, sauté the bacon with a little oil until it's lightly browned. Set the browned bacon aside; you'll add it back to the stew later. Keep the rendered bacon fat in the pan for the next step.

Pour off all but a little fat from the frying pan. Add the sliced carrots and onions and sauté them until they're softened and lightly browned, then add them to the beef in the Dutch oven.

Deglaze the frying pan with 2 cups red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Pour the wine into the casserole, then add 2 cups beef broth and 1 cup tomatoes, ensuring the liquid almost covers the meat. Tuck in the bouquet garni. Bring the stew to a simmer, cover it, and let it cook slowly on the lowest heat possible. You can do this either on the stove or in a preheated 325°F oven, until the meat is fork-tender, which will take about 1 to 2 hours.

Once the beef is tender, carefully remove all solids from the stew sauce (except the beef itself). You can do this by draining the contents through a colander set over a saucepan. Return the beef to the casserole. Press any remaining juices from the solids into the cooking liquid, then skim off any visible fat. Boil down the liquid until it reduces to about 3 cups.

Off the heat, whisk in the beurre mani (a mixture of flour and softened butter, which you would have prepared separately). Return the sauce to a simmer for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens lightly and coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Pour the thickened sauce over the beef in the casserole, then gently fold in the cooked pearl onions and sautéed mushrooms. To serve, bring the stew back to a gentle simmer, basting the meat and vegetables with the rich sauce for several minutes until everything is heated through.