Boeuf Bourguignon

By RecipeLot

Beef bourguignon made with ox cheek, served with pasta. ? Photo by DC, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Boeuf bourguignon (French for Burgundy beef) is a well known, traditional French stew prepared with beef braised in red wine (originally Burgundy wine) and beef broth, flavored with garlic, onions, carrots, a bouquet garni and garnished with mushrooms.[http://cooking.knopfdoubleday.com/2009/07/13/julia-childs-boeuf-bourguignon-recipe/ A copy of Julia Child's boeuf bourguignon recipe from her book Mastering the art of French Cooking posted on the Knopf Doubleday website] It is one of many examples of peasant dishes slowly evolving into haute cuisine. Most likely, the method of slowly simmering beef in wine originated as a means of tenderizing cuts of meat that were too tough to cook any other way. Also, simmering these two ingredients together helps to create a unique and pleasant flavor. Formerly, chefs larded the meat with lardons, but modern beef is so tender and well marbled that this time-consuming technique is rarely necessary. French culinary expert Auguste Escoffier first published the boeuf bourguignon recipe once the dish became a standard of French cuisine.[http://www.saltlakemagazine.com/Salt-Lake-Magazine/February-2009/One-Pot-Parties/index.php?cparticle=5&siarticle=4 Info and history on boeuf bourguignon on the Saltlake magazine website] However, over time it has undergone subtle alterations, owing to changes in cooking equipment and available food supplies.

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