Escoffier’s Beef Bourguignon – A Faithful Recreation of the Original 1903 Recipe

Travel back in time and experience Beef Bourguignon exactly as Auguste Escoffier intended! In this video, I recreate the iconic dish straight from Escoffier’s 1903 cookbook, Le Guide Culinaire. You’ll see how I transform simple ingredients—like paleron (shoulder clod), classic French brown stock, and a cognac marinade—into a rich, fork-tender stew that truly captures turn-of-the-century culinary craftsmanship. Along the way, we’ll delve into traditional techniques such as larding with bacon fat using an old-school larding needle, layering flavours with two days’ worth of stock preparation, and slowly braising the beef in red wine, veal stock, and Escoffier’s renowned Sauce Espagnole. Finally, we’ll finish with the “Bourguignon garnish” of glazed onions, sautéed mushrooms, and crispy lardons. If you’re ready for a genuine taste of French culinary history and a dish that’s stood the test of time, join me in recreating this labour of love in your own kitchen! Original Recipe From Le Guide Culinaire 1903 Edition (The work is in the public domain and reproduced here for reference and historical interest.) Pièce de Bœuf à la Bourguignonne. — La piquer transversalement avec de gros lardons ; la mariner au cognac 2 ou 3 heures à l’avance. Après l’avoir épongée, la rissoler au beurre sur toutes ses faces ; puis, mouiller à hauteur avec vin rouge, jus de veau et 2 décilitres de sauce Espagnole par litre de mouillement. — Ajouter bouquet garni, épluchures de champignons et cuire au four. Aux deux tiers de la cuisson, changer la pièce de casserole, l’entourer d’une garniture « à la Bourguignonne » ; passer la sauce sur le tout et compléter la cuisson. The following recipe is our adaptation of Auguste Escoffier’s 1903 dish Pièce de Bœuf à la Bourguignonne, as cooked in this video. While the original is in the public domain, this version has been adjusted for clarity, ingredient availability, and home kitchen use. Ingredients (Serves 4–6) For the Brown Stock (Fond Brun): • Beef bones: 1 kg • Veal bones: 1 kg • Carrots: 2, roughly chopped • Celery: 2 stalks (plus a few leafy tops) • Onions: 2, quartered • Cherry tomatoes or regular tomatoes (in season): 200 g • Garlic: 4 cloves, crushed • Whole cloves: 3–4 • Bay leaves: 2 • Thyme: a few sprigs • Water: enough to cover For the Sauce Espagnole: • Unsalted butter: 60 g • Plain flour: 60 g • Tomato purée: 1–2 tbsp • Brown stock (from above): approx. 1 litre • Mirepoix (carrot, celery, onion): small handful • Bouquet garni (as above) For the Beef: • Feather blade (flat iron end) or similar braising cut: 1.2–1.5 kg • Bacon fat: 100–150 g, cut into larding strips • Cognac: 50 ml • Salt: to taste • Unsalted butter: for searing • Red wine: 250 ml • Veal stock (or leftover brown stock): 750 ml • Sauce Espagnole (from above): 200 ml • Mushroom stems (optional): from garnish Garniture Bourguignon: • Pearl onions: 150 g • Button mushrooms: 200 g • Lardons (or pancetta): 150 g • Butter and sugar: for glazing onions Method 1. Make the Brown Stock: Preheat your oven to 200°C. Roast beef and veal bones for 45 minutes until deeply browned. Add carrots, celery, and onions, then roast for another 15 minutes. Transfer to a large stock pot. Deglaze the roasting tray with water and add to the pot. Add tomatoes, garlic, bouquet garni (celery tops, thyme, bay, cloves), and enough cold water to cover. Simmer on very low heat for 8–10 hours, skimming occasionally. Strain and chill. 2. Prepare the Sauce Espagnole: In a saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour to make a roux. Cook on medium-low heat until nutty and golden brown. Slowly whisk in cold brown stock, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add tomato purée, mirepoix, and bouquet garni. Simmer for 2–3 hours. Strain and reserve. 3. Using a larding needle, insert strips of bacon fat across the grain of the beef. Marinate in cognac for 2–3 hours in the fridge. Pat dry and season lightly with salt. 4. In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, sear the beef gently in butter until browned on all sides. Deglaze with red wine. Add veal stock and sauce espagnole in a 4:1 ratio (e.g., 800 ml stock, 200 ml sauce). Add a bouquet garni and mushroom stems if using. 5. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid, and transfer to a 150°C oven. Cook for 2 hours. 6. Glaze pearl onions in butter and sugar until tender and lightly caramelised. Sauté mushrooms in butter until golden. Blanch lardons briefly, then sauté until crisp. Set aside. 7. After 2 hours, transfer the beef to a new casserole. Add the garnish, pour over the sauce, and return to the oven for another hour. The sauce should thicken and the meat should be fork-tender. 8. Slice the beef and serve with the rich sauce, onions, mushrooms, and lardons. Optionally serve with buttered potatoes or crusty bread. ______________ Follow us on Instagram:   / w2kitchn   #W2Kitchen #escoffier #beefstew