🍷 Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
🍽️ Serves: 6
⏱️ Prep: 25 min | Cook: 8–10 hours (low) or 4–5 hours (high)
🧂 Ingredients:
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2½ – 3 lbs beef chuck roast or stew meat, cut into 2-inch cubes
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Salt & black pepper, to taste
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2 tbsp olive oil (for browning)
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4 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped
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3–4 cloves garlic, minced
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1 medium onion, diced
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2 tbsp tomato paste
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1½ cups dry red wine (like Pinot Noir or Cabernet)
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2 cups beef broth (low sodium)
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2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
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2 tsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
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2 bay leaves
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4–5 medium carrots, peeled & chopped
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1 lb baby potatoes or small yellow potatoes, halved
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8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
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2 tbsp flour (optional, for thickening)
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Fresh parsley, for garnish
👩🍳 Instructions:
1. Sear the Meat (Optional but Recommended):
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Season beef generously with salt & pepper.
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Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
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Sear beef in batches until browned on all sides (do not overcrowd).
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Transfer to the slow cooker.
2. Cook Bacon & Aromatics:
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In the same skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Add to slow cooker.
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Sauté onions and garlic in the bacon drippings for 2–3 minutes.
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Stir in tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute. Pour in red wine and scrape up any brown bits.
3. Add Everything to the Crock Pot:
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Pour wine mixture into the slow cooker.
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Add beef broth, Worcestershire, thyme, bay leaves, carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms.
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Stir gently to combine.
4. Cook:
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Low for 8–10 hours, or high for 4–5 hours, until beef is fork-tender and veggies are soft.
5. Optional – Thicken the Sauce:
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About 30 minutes before serving, mix 2 tbsp flour with 3 tbsp cold water to form a slurry.
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Stir it into the slow cooker to thicken the sauce slightly.
You can also remove 1 cup of liquid, simmer it on the stove to reduce, then return it to the pot.
6. Finish & Serve:
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Discard bay leaves.
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Garnish with chopped parsley.
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Serve hot with crusty bread, mashed potatoes, or buttered noodles.
📝 Tips & Variations:
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For a deeper flavor, marinate the beef in wine overnight.
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Add pearl onions in the last 1–2 hours of cooking for a traditional touch.
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Use cornstarch slurry instead of flour for a gluten-free option.
Would you like a Dutch oven version, freezer-friendly prep instructions, or a red wine substitute option?
