Crockpot Beef Bourguignon
A slow-cooker adaptation of the classic French stew, featuring tender beef, savory bacon, earthy mushrooms, and a rich red wine sauce.
Ingredients
Meat & Bacon
- 2 lbs beef chuck roast cut into 2-inch cubes
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz bacon chopped
Vegetables & Thickeners
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 3 carrots chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
Liquids & Herbs
- 2 cups red wine Burgundy
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 oz baby bella mushrooms stems removed
Instructions
Browning & Sautéing
- Season beef cubes with kosher salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown beef until deep golden, about 8 minutes per batch.
- Add chopped bacon to skillet; cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon and transfer to crockpot, pouring off half the rendered fat.
- Add chopped onion and carrots; cook until onion edges caramelize, about 4 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and tomato paste; cook 1 minute.
- Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute.
- Pour in red wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up browned bits. Simmer until reduced by one-third, about 3 minutes.
Slow Cooking
- Transfer beef, bacon, and vegetable mixture to crockpot. Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4–5 hours.
- Thirty minutes before end, stir in mushrooms. Cover and finish cooking.
- Discard bay leaves, taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
Notes
Testing Note: Adding mushrooms in the final 30 minutes preserves their tender bite.
Testing Note: Sauce thickens significantly when chilled—stir in a splash of broth to reheat to perfection.
Testing Note: Rest meat 5 minutes after browning to lock in juices before slow cooking.