Description
This Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon is a comforting French-inspired stew featuring tender chunks of beef, crispy bacon, baby bella mushrooms, and hearty vegetables slow-cooked in rich red wine and beef broth. Perfect for cozy dinners, this recipe combines deep flavors developed over hours of slow cooking, resulting in a melt-in-your-mouth meal garnished with fresh parsley.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Bacon
- 2 lbs beef stew meat (cut into chunks)
- 6 slices of bacon (chopped)
Vegetables
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 2 carrots (peeled and sliced)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 lb. small potatoes (halved)
- 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms (sliced)
Liquids and Flavorings
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups red wine (such as Burgundy)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Bacon: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside, leaving the bacon fat in the skillet.
- Prepare Beef: Season beef chunks with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
- Brown Beef: Brown the beef chunks in the bacon fat on all sides, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Transfer browned beef to the slow cooker.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add chopped onion, sliced carrots, and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Deglaze and Prepare Sauce: Pour in the red wine and beef broth, stirring to loosen browned bits from the skillet bottom. Add tomato paste and dried thyme, bring to a simmer.
- Transfer Sauce: Pour the simmering liquid over the beef in the slow cooker.
- Slow Cook: Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours until beef is very tender.
- Add Potatoes and Mushrooms: About 1 hour before completion, add halved potatoes and sliced mushrooms to the slow cooker. Continue cooking until vegetables are tender.
- Finish: Skim off excess fat from the surface of the sauce once cooking is complete.
- Serve: Garnish with crispy bacon and chopped fresh parsley. Serve with crusty bread, mashed potatoes, or buttered noodles.
Notes
- For best flavor, use a full-bodied red wine like Burgundy or Pinot Noir.
- If you prefer thicker sauce, remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking to reduce liquid.
- You can substitute baby bella mushrooms with cremini mushrooms as preferred.
- To speed up browning, dry the beef chunks thoroughly before dredging in flour.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as flavors meld.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours
- Category: Stew
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: Beef Bourguignon, Slow Cooker Beef Stew, French Stew, Slow Cooker Dinner, Comfort Food, Red Wine Stew
