Description
This Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon is a classic French stew made with tender chuck beef, crispy bacon, cremini mushrooms, shallots, and aromatic herbs, all slow-cooked in red wine and beef broth. The long, slow cooking process ensures rich, deep flavors and melt-in-your-mouth textures, perfect for a comforting and hearty meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Bacon
- 3 slices center cut bacon, chopped
- 1 1/2 pounds chuck beef, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
Seasonings and Coating
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 ½ cups cremini mushrooms, halved or quartered
- 1 cup shallots, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 ½ cups carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
Liquids and Herbs
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Render Bacon: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the chopped bacon until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to the slow cooker. Remove nearly all of the bacon fat from the pan, reserving about 1 teaspoon for later use.
- Prepare and Brown Beef: Toss the chuck beef cubes with flour, onion powder, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper until evenly coated. Brown the beef in batches in the skillet over medium heat until all sides are seared. Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker.
- Sauté Mushrooms and Aromatics: Add the reserved teaspoon of bacon fat to the skillet along with the mushrooms and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook until the mushrooms begin to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chopped shallots and sliced garlic, cooking until fragrant and softened, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste until combined. Transfer this mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add Liquids and Herbs: Pour in the dry red wine and beef broth into the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine into a homogenous liquid. Lay the fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs on top, then add the carrots.
- Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours, until the beef is tender and flavors have melded. Before serving, remove the herb sprigs.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free flour for coating the beef.
- Dry red wine like Pinot Noir or Merlot works best for authentic flavor.
- Be sure to brown the beef in batches to avoid steaming and to get a nice crust.
- Removing bacon fat helps reduce greasiness but leaving a bit adds flavor.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
