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Crock Pot Beef Bourguignon
A slow cooker spin on the classic, rustic French stew. While this rich, melt-in-your mouth Crock Pot Beef Bourguignon is easy to make, it results in an impressive cold weather dinner or holiday dish.
Ingredients
- 4 slices uncured bacon, finely chopped
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine (recommended: Pinot Noir)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (sub: beef broth)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (sub: coconut aminos for gluten-free)
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme (sub: 1 sprig fresh rosemary)
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced or quartered
- 5 medium carrots, peeled and diagonally sliced (about 1/2-inch thick slices; about 2 cups)
- 1 – 1 1/2 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes, 1-inch pieces (about 4-6 cups)
- 2–3 pounds beef stew meat (see Cooking Notes for alternative option)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (sub: arrowroot powder)
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- Saute Bacon: In a large saute pan, fry bacon pieces over medium-high heat until crisp. (Freezer instructions begin here.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the slow cooker, leaving the bacon drippings in the pan.
- Make the Sauce: Next, saute the onions until softened, about 4 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper and the red pepper flakes as they cook. Stir in the garlic the last 30-60 seconds. Whisk in the wine, broth, tomato paste, and soy sauce until smooth, scraping the brown bits off the bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add Ingredients to the Crockpot: Carefully, pour the sauce into the slow cooker. Add the beef chunks, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir until combined. Add the thyme springs and bay leaf on top.
- Slow Cook: Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours, or until beef and vegetables are very tender. Discard bay leaf and thyme stems.
- Thicken the Stew: In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Stir this slurry into the stew, replace the lid, and cook on high for about 15 minutes, until slightly thickened. (It will thicken more as it sits.)
- Serve: Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Freeze For Later:
Method 1 (Uncooked): Cook the bacon in Step 1 and the onions/sauce mixture in Step 2. Let cool and then add both to a one gallon freezer bag or container with lid. Place the beef, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, thyme, and bay leaf in the same bag or container. Seal, toss gently to combine, and freeze. (Notes: Freeze flat on a sheet pan and/or double bag it in case of leaks. Make sure the potatoes are completely submerged in the liquid to avoid browning.)
Method 2 (Fully Cooked): Fully cook and cool the stew. Seal and freeze in a freezer bag or individual freezer containers.
Prepare From Frozen:
Method 1 (Uncooked): Thaw and follow Steps 4-6.
Method 2 (Fully Cooked): Thaw and warm up in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the slow cooker.
Notes/Tips
- Stew Meat Sub: If you can’t find stew meat, you can buy a chuck roast. Trim it of most visible fat and cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces. Tip: Place it in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes before slicing. It makes the meat much easier to work with.
- Meat to Vegetable Ratio: I gave a range of the amount of potatoes and meat you can use in this stew. I tend to like mine heavier on the root vegetables but the classic version is very heavy on the beef. You really can’t mess this up. I’ve tested it all the ways and it’s delicious!
- About the Wine: Buy a red wine you would enjoy drinking. America’s Test Kitchen recommends Pinot Noir, so that’s what I always use in this recipe.
- Gluten-Free Version: To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free Tamari soy sauce or coconut aminos.
Find it online: https://thrivinghomeblog.com/crock-pot-beef-bourguignon/
