Can you think of anything more comforting than the deep, earthy flavors of tender beef slow-cooked in red wine, combined with sweet peas, mushrooms, and onions, and served on a bed of mashed potatoes? Slow cooker beef bourguignon (sometimes called beef burgundy) is arguably the best-tasting beef stew in the world, favored for its tender cut and rich flavor profile.
What is Beef Bourguignon?
Beef bourguignon is essentially beef stewed in red wine. In order for the meat to fully absorb the flavors and to allow the wine to cook and evaporate, beef bourguignon needs to be cooked longer than a regular stew made with broth or stock. This is why it’s ideal to cook beef bourguignon in a slow cooker or crockpot. Not only does the slow cooker take the pressure off of you (no babysitting required), it makes cooking delicious French cuisine easy by yielding tender, juicy beef cooked to perfection in nine hours.
What Cut of Beef Should You Use for Slow-Cooker Beef Bourguignon?
When making slow-cooker beef bourguignon, the primary concern is choosing a tougher cut of meat that can withstand the long cooking time. Ideally, choose a cut like boneless chuck that’s rich in collagen and turns soft and tender when cooked for long periods of time. If you use a more tender, leaner cut, it can come out too tough and dry.
What to Serve With Beef Bourguignon
Beef bourguignon can be served with any of your favorite fresh or frozen vegetables and mashed potatoes. We’ve used peas, mushrooms, carrots, and onions in this recipe. French cut green beans and baby potatoes instead of mashed potatoes would work well too. Perhaps you’d like to add a slice of buttered French bread and a glass of pinot noir to sip.
Slow Cooked Beef Bourguignon
This slow-cooker beef bourguignon is rich, hearty, and extra tender. Here’s how to easily cook this comforting French beef stew to perfection every time.
Ingredients
- 1 (5-pound) boneless beef chuck eye roast
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 ounces (about 6 slices) bacon cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 3 medium onions diced
- 1 medium carrot peeled and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 6 medium garlic cloves minced (about 2 tablespoons minced garlic)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves minced, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 cup flour (see note for a gluten-free version)
- 1 (750-ml) bottle pinot noir or any medium-bodied red wine
- 1 cup Kettle & Fire Chicken Bone Broth
- 1/3 cup soy sauce (see note for a gluten-free version)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups frozen pearl onions
- 10 ounces cremini mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms roughly sliced
- 1 cup sweet peas
- Chopped parsley for garnishing
Instructions
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Trim beef chuck eye roast and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Place the prepared beef in a 6-quart slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper.
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Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving the fat in the skillet. Refrigerate the bacon until serving time.
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Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the skillet. Add onions, carrot, tomato paste, sugar, garlic, thyme, and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle flour all over the vegetables, stirring to coat.
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Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits, bring to a simmer, and cook to allow the alcohol evaporates, 10-12 minutes.
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Pour the mixture over the beef in the slow cooker. Stir in chicken bone broth, soy sauce and bay leaves until evenly combined. Cover and cook on low for 9-11 hours or on high for 5-7 hours, until meat is tender.
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About 30 minutes before serving, add frozen pearl onions, mushrooms, and sweet peas in the slow cooker. Cook on low until the pearl onions and mushrooms are cooked through.
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When the cooking is done, let the cooking liquid settle for 5 minutes, then remove as much fat as possible from the surface using a large spoon. Remove the bay leaves. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
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Reheat the bacon in a microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Serve the beef burgundy over mashed potatoes and sprinkle individual portions with the bacon. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Recipe Notes
To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute Tamari or coconut aminos for the soy sauce and replace the flour with 3 tablespoons cornstarch as a thickening agent.
If using cornstarch, dissolve it in 1/3 cup cold water, then add the mixture at step 4 after the wine is evaporated.
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