The Delight of Boeuf Bourguignon

This dish comes from France from the region of Burgundy. In French, the area is known As Bourgogne and lies southeast of Paris. It is a region that offers rich cuisine and excellent wines. Boeuf Bourguignon is a most delicious dish and completely different from regular beef stew. It has a special and distinct kind of taste, a low-fat content and the traditional is made with the tender meat of bulls from the Charolles region of southern Burgundy. These cattle are fed on hay, fodder, and cereal making for good meat to be used for stewing and grilling.

Boeuf Bourguignon has become popular all over the world now. The recipe for it was first published in the early 20th century by Chef Auguste Escoffier. His recipe included using a whole piece of beef in the stew and it was Julia Child who started using cubed beef making the recipe for this dish easier to make.

This dish is made by first braising the beef in a classic red Burgundy wine. Then it is stewed with carrots, onions, garlic, and potatoes and well-seasoned with a bouquet garni which is a small satchel of parsley, thyme, and bay leaves placed into the stew. The traditional way to prepare it is to stew it for two days to continually tenderize the meat and make the flavors more full.

There are celebrations in Bourgogne late in August which honors the prized Charolais beef. The festivities are called Fete du Charolais and it is held in the Burgundy town of Saulieu. Here everyone including farmers gathers together along with musicians and meat loves for a great gastronomic experience and to eat the traditional Boeuf Bourguignon. There are many variations to this dish now including baking it in the oven.