What is “Boeuf Bourguignon”?
Boeuf Bourguignon or, Beef Bourguignon in English, is one of the most famous dishes from France. If you have ever been to a French restaurant, you must have heard of it!
Boeuf Bourguignon is a beef stew, cooked in red wine for at least two hours. It is usually accompanied by side dishes such as potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, onions, garlic and herbs such as thyme and bay leaves. This French dish is very rich and can be enjoyed on various occasions. However, it is the perfect plate for family gathering on cold winter days.
History
Its origins take us back to the Middle Ages period. Even though we do not know the exact date of its creation, we know that it comes from the region or Bourgogne, in the Central East of France. This part of France is extremely marked by history. You can still visit various castles and churches from this period. It is also, with no doubt, one of the region of France with the most notable culinary heritage.
In fact, the Bourgogne region is well known for its excellent beef and red wine. More than thirty Burgundy wines received a prize at an international level! Bourgogne is one of the most important and renowned wine-growing region of the world.
Boeuf Bourguignon results from the combination of these two culinary specialties.
Usually cooked by the farmers on special occasions, this dish began to spread more widely in France at the beginning of the 20th century. It slowly became one of the typical French dishes and now it is even served abroad and is considered as French haute cuisine. Originally served in typical French restaurants called “Brasseries”, you can now also find it in highly renowned restaurants. All over the years, famous chefs have added their touch to this plate to create different varieties of this dish. For example, the original recipe does not contain bacon or caramelised onions but it is now more and more common to put some in the Boeuf Bourguignon.
Even though it can be cooked on very different occasions, the preparation of this plate requires good skills in cooking. The cooking time is one of the main key to make a good Boeuf Bourguignon. The longer its cooks, the better! The choice of the wine is also essential and makes a considerable difference in taste, it has to be a Burgundy wine. The best choice is a tannic wine with some fruity overtones.
When it is prepared correctly, this unmissable French culinary specialty is a very tasty and copious meal with many aromatic flavours. You can savour it by the fireside to fully immerge yourself in the Bourgogne atmosphere!
References:
- Côte Restaurants. 2022. The History of Beef Bourguignon – Côte Restaurants. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.cote.co.uk/blog/2018/11/23/the-history-of-beef-bourguignon/ [Accessed 09 March 2022].
- My Parisian Kitchen. 2022. Bœuf bourguignon traditionnel – My Parisian Kitchen. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.myparisiankitchen.com/boeuf-bourguignon-traditionnel/ [Accessed 09 March 2022].
- Région Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. 2022. Un patrimoine naturel, architectural et gastronomique réputé. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.bourgognefranchecomte.fr/un-patrimoine-naturel-architectural-et-gastronomique-repute. [Accessed 09 March 2022].
Written by Cécile Mayeres
She holds a Master’s degree in Translation and Cross-Cultural Communication with a specialization in European mobility. She was a trainee in Communication at the Terminology Coordination Unit in 2021.