A rich, red wine-braised beef stew featuring smoky bacon, tender carrots, and pearl onions, simplified for the slow cooker.
There is a moment every winter here in Austin when the temperature drops just enough to justify wearing a sweater and simmering something all day long. Beef Bourguignon is the absolute pinnacle of cold-weather cooking. While Julia Child's original recipe is a masterpiece, it is also a marathon of pot-watching and oven-adjusting. My version captures all that deep, complex French flavor-the red wine reduction, the earthiness of the mushrooms, and the savory punch of bacon-but adapts it for the slow cooker. This method allows the connective tissue in the chuck roast to break down slowly over eight hours, resulting in meat so tender you can cut it with a spoon, all while you go about your day.
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The most critical step in this recipe is not the slow cooking, but the searing. You must brown the beef in the bacon fat in batches. If you crowd the pan, the beef will steam instead of sear, and you will lose the caramelized Maillard reaction that gives the stew its rich, dark color and deep flavor.
The Classic French Stew, Simplified
This recipe retains the sophisticated flavor profile of the traditional dish but offloads the heavy lifting to the slow cooker, making it accessible for a weeknight meal or a stress-free dinner party.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Deep, Complex Flavor: The combination of rendered bacon fat, red wine, and tomato paste creates a sauce with incredible depth.
- Melt-in-Your-Mouth Meat: Cooking chuck roast on low for 8 hours guarantees a tender texture that tougher cuts of beef require.
- Convenience: Using frozen pearl onions eliminates the tedious peeling process, and the slow cooker prevents the need to monitor an oven.
- Rich Sauce: Unlike many slow cooker stews that turn out watery, this recipe starts with a roux in the skillet to ensure a velvety consistency.
- Better the Next Day: The flavors meld and deepen overnight, making this the ultimate make-ahead meal.
Ingredients
- 6 bacon slices, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 (3-lb.) boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
- 1 ½ cups diagonally sliced carrots
- 1 (8-oz.) package button mushrooms, quartered
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dry red wine (Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups frozen pearl onions
- 4 thyme sprigs, plus fresh leaves for garnish
How to Make Slow-Cooker Beef Bourguignon
Step 1: Render the Bacon
Place the cut bacon slices in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and the fat has rendered out, about 6 to 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the crisp bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Reserve 1 ½ tablespoons of the hot bacon drippings in the skillet; discard the rest or save for another use. Keep the crumbled bacon for garnish.
Step 2: Sear the Beef
Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels (wet meat won't brown). Sprinkle the beef generously with the kosher salt and black pepper. Increase the skillet heat to medium-high. Add half of the beef to the hot bacon fat. Cook, turning occasionally, until deeply browned on all sides, about 6 to 9 minutes. Transfer the seared beef to a 5-quart slow cooker. Repeat this process with the remaining half of the beef.
Step 3: Build the Sauce Base
Add the sliced carrots and quartered mushrooms to the now-empty skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for just 30 seconds until fragrant. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
Step 4: Deglaze and Thicken
Pour in the dry red wine and add the tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly and scraping up the browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan, for 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sauce begins to thicken slightly.
Step 5: Slow Cook
Transfer the hot vegetable and sauce mixture into the slow cooker over the beef. Stir in the frozen pearl onions and the thyme sprigs. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW until the beef is fork-tender, about 8 hours.
Step 6: Finish and Serve
Before serving, remove and discard the thyme stems. Skim any excess fat pooling on the surface of the stew. Divide the mixture evenly among bowls. Top with the reserved crispy bacon and fresh thyme leaves.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using Cooking Wine: Never use "cooking wine" from the grocery aisle; it is loaded with salt and preservatives. Use a bottle of wine you would actually drink.
- Rushing the Sear: If the meat is gray, the stew will be bland. Take the time to get a dark brown crust on the beef cubes.
- Skipping the Skim: Beef chuck releases a fair amount of fat. If you don't skim the surface at the end, the stew can have a greasy mouthfeel.
Tips and Tricks for Success
- Choose the Right Wine: A dry red is essential. Pinot Noir is traditional for Burgundy, but a Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot works well too. Avoid sweet reds.
- The Chuck Roast: Don't buy pre-cut "stew meat." It is often a mix of scraps that cook unevenly. Buy a whole chuck roast and cut it yourself for consistent marbling and sizing.
- Thickening Hack: If the sauce isn't thick enough for your liking at the end, you can mash equal parts butter and flour (Beurre Manié) and stir it into the hot stew 30 minutes before serving.
- Pearl Onion Shortcut: I exclusively use frozen pearl onions. Peeling fresh ones involves blanching and slipping skins off individually, which takes forever. Frozen ones are peeled and ready to go.
Variations
- Alcohol-Free: Substitute the red wine with an equal amount of high-quality beef stock mixed with 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar or Worcestershire sauce to mimic the acidity and depth.
- Herb Swap: If you don't have fresh thyme, dried thyme works (use 1 teaspoon), or substitute with a bay leaf and some rosemary.
- Potato Addition: While traditionally served with potatoes on the side, you can add 1 pound of halved baby Yukon Gold potatoes to the slow cooker at the beginning for a true one-pot meal.
How to Serve
The classic pairing for Beef Bourguignon is creamy mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles to soak up the wine sauce. For a more rustic approach, serve it with a crusty baguette or a slice of sourdough bread. A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette helps cut through the richness of the meat.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make Ahead: This stew tastes significantly better the day after it is made. The flavors of the wine, herbs, and meat have time to meld. Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. You may need to add a splash of broth if the sauce has thickened too much in the fridge. Freezing: This dish freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Recipe Notes / What I Learned
I used to flour the beef before searing, but I found that flouring the vegetables later prevents the flour from burning in the bacon fat and creates a smoother sauce that doesn't clump in the slow cooker.
Nutrition Snapshot
This is a hearty, protein-rich meal. The chuck roast provides iron and zinc, while the carrots and mushrooms add fiber and vitamins. It is calorie-dense, so portion accordingly.
Beef Bourguignon
Equipment
- Large skillet
- 5-quart slow cooker
- Slotted spoon
Ingredients
Group: Stew
- 6 bacon slices, cut into ½-in. pieces
- 1 (3-lb.) boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 ½-in. cubes
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1 ½ cups diagonally sliced carrots
- 1 (8-oz.) pkg. button mushrooms, quartered
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups frozen pearl onions
- 4 thyme sprigs
Group: For Garnish
- Fresh thyme leaves (optional)
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, reserving 1 ½ tablespoons hot drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon.
- Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Add half of the beef to skillet, and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, 6 to 9 minutes. Transfer beef to a 5-quart slow cooker. Repeat with remaining half beef.
- Add carrots and mushrooms to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook 30 seconds. Stir in flour, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Add broth, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Transfer mixture to slow cooker.
- Add onions and thyme sprigs to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW until beef is very tender, about 8 hours. Discard thyme sprigs. Skim excess fat from top of mixture, and discard.
- Divide beef mixture evenly among 6 bowls; sprinkle with cooked bacon and, if desired, thyme leaves.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
Q: Can I cook this on HIGH?
You can cook it on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, but for the most tender beef, the LOW setting for 8 hours is superior as it allows the collagen to break down more gently.
Why do we use chicken broth instead of beef broth?
This is a trick I learned from many French chefs. Store-bought beef broth can sometimes taste artificial or metallic. Chicken broth is more neutral and allows the beef flavor of the roast itself to shine without interference.
What if I can't find pearl onions?
You can substitute a large yellow onion, chopped into 1-inch chunks. Sauté it with the carrots and mushrooms in Step 3.
