Slow cooker beef bourguignon (or bœuf bourguignon in French) is an elegant beef stew filled with rich, deep flavor and tender chunks of beef! The key to this comforting, savory stew is to simmer it low and slow, so making it in the slow-cooker seems obvious!
1lbbutton mushrooms(white mushrooms cut in halves or quartered)
3carrots(3 large carrots, 4 medium, or 5-6 small - sliced diagonally into approx 1" pieces)
1tablespoonparsley(chopped, fresh - optional for garnish)
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Instructions
First, place the cubed chuck steak in a large mixing bowl. Season the meat with salt &pepper, the fresh chopped thyme, and toss in the three bay leaves. Then, cover the meat with an entire bottle of the red wine of your choice.Place in the fridge to marinate overnight. *If you would like to use less wine, make up the difference with additional beef broth. Pour in the desired amount of wine. Then, add beef broth until the meat is fully covered.
Once it has marinated overnight, remove the beef from the red wine. Reserve the red wine for later use.
Cook the pieces of bacon in a medium to large frying pan over medium-high heat until crispy (about 8 minutes). Do not discard the bacon grease. Place the crisped bacon in the slow cooker.
After removing the bacon from the frying pan, use it to sear the marinated chunks of beef. Work in batches until all the cubes of chuck steak are browned on all sides (about 3-4 minutes) and place them in the slow cooker. *You should have enough bacon grease to brown the meat, then fry the chopped onion. If not, some olive oil can be added as needed.
Use the remaining bacon grease to saute the chopped onion until translucent, then transfer it into the slow cooker with the beef and bacon.
Next, use the all-purpose flour to soak up any remaining bacon grease in the frying pan. Stir, then add the tomato paste. While mixing, add the reserved red wine from the marinated beef into the frying pan to create a sauce. Whisk well to combine, pour in the beef broth, and bring to a boil.
After the sauce is fully boiling, pour it into the slow cooker over the bacon, beef, and onion. Add the pearl onions, carrots, mushrooms, and butter to the slow cooker. Stir gently, then secure the lid.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or high for 6 hours, until beef is very tender. Serve immediately over mashed potatoes, pasta, or toasted bread. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Notes
To speed things along, skip the overnight marinade and use 1 cup red wine to make the sauce (swapping out for the reserved marinade).
Beef Bourguignon tastes best the next day after the flavors are able to meld in the fridge overnight. Reheat it on the stove over medium heat, just enough to warm it up. It is a great make-ahead dish.
The wine flavor may be strong immediately after cooking, allow it to rest for at least 15 minutes before taste testing so the flavors can settle.
When the sauce is done simmering it should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it is too thick, use a bit of broth to thin it out.