Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon is a delicious slow-cooked beef stew made with juicy chunks of beef, sweet carrots, onions, mushrooms, and two types of wine. Fancy enough to feed a crowd, but easy enough to make during the week, this Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon is a classic beef stew with a twist.
Hearty, comforting stews are a favorite on The Forked Spoon and include recipes such as Persian Pomegranate and Walnut Stew, Hungarian Goulash, and Instant Pot Beef Stew.
I don’t make beef often. It’s not that I don’t love the stuff. I do. I mean, my mom is from Iowa and my dad is from Illinois which practically guarantees that a kid will be raised on meat and (butter-filled) potatoes. However, at some point in my teenage years and early twenties, I phased out red meat. Between periods of being a vegetarian or vegan, I just stopped buying the stuff.
But sometimes a Mama just needs to make beef. And this (seriously) Best Ever Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon is the absolute favorite in our house. Especially with my meat-loving 4-year old.
FACTS ABOUT BEEF BOURGUIGNON
- Beef Bourguignon originated in the Burgundy region of France.
- This beef stew was originally prepared with beef braised in red wine.
- Originally considered a “peasant dish”
- Wine was originally used to tenderize cuts of meat that would have otherwise been too tough to cook.
Read more on Wikipedia.
RECIPE CARD
Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon (Beef Stew)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil - divided
- 3 pounds lean chuck roast - cut into 1" cubes and patted dry
- salt + pepper
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 1 bunch fresh rosemary
- 1 yellow onion - diced
- 5 cloves garlic - minced
- 3 cups red wine - I used pinot noir
- ½ cup sweet marsala wine
- 1 cup beef stock
- 4 tablespoon tomato paste
- 6 large carrots - chopped
- 20 ounces cremini mushrooms - halved
- 4 stalks celery - diced
- 15 oz diced tomatoes - 1 can
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes - chopped
- 10 ounces pearl onions
- fresh parsley - diced
- 1.5 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water - to thicken
Instructions
- Gently pat chuck roast dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Add the chuck roast cubes to the skillet and cook each side for 3-4 minutes, or until lightly browned (no need to fully cook the meat, just brown the sides).
- Transfer seared chuck roast to the slow cooker.
- Tie the fresh thyme and rosemary bunches together using cooking string and place in the slow cooker on top of the chuck roast.
- Return the skillet to medium high heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the diced onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until onion are translucent and starting to soften. Add the garlic and sauté for one more minute.
- Transfer to the onions and garlic to the slow cooker.
- For a final time, return the skillet to medium heat. Add the red wine and use a wood spoon to gently scrape off any brown bits that may have stuck to the pan. Whisk in the marsala wine, beef broth and tomato paste. Heat just until mixture is warmed through- no need to boil.
- Add the chopped carrots, mushrooms, celery, canned tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes to the slow cooker and carefully pour the red wine mixture over the vegetables.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
- Approximately 15 minutes before serving, add the frozen pearl onions and stir in the cornstarch mixed with water (optional)*
- Garnish with fresh chopped flat leaf parsley.
Jessica's Notes
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
Without a slow cooker, how could you adapt this recipe to oven cooking? Go thru all the steps on stovetop in a dutch oven, and put covered pot in oven at 325f for 2-3 hours? Your expertise insight would be appreciated.
Start by preheating your oven to 325°F (163°C) to mimic the low and slow cooking process of a slow cooker. Brown your beef in an oven-proof pot, like a Dutch oven, to develop flavor, then sauté the foundational vegetables such as onions and carrots, adding garlic for aromatic depth. After browning the meat and sautéing the vegetables, deglaze the pan with wine or broth to incorporate all the delicious, caramelized bits into your stew. Combine all ingredients, including liquids (wine and broth), herbs, and any additional vegetables specified in your recipe, into the pot. Cover it tightly with a lid or foil to prevent excessive evaporation, and bake in the preheated oven until the beef is tender, typically around 3 hours.
Oven cooking offers more direct heat, which can lead to less liquid evaporation compared to the slow cooker, so you might need to adjust the amount of liquid used in the recipe. If, after the cooking time, the sauce is too thin for your liking, you can thicken it by simmering it on the stove with the lid off until it reaches the desired consistency, or use a cornstarch slurry for quicker thickening.
Loved the instant pot beef stew!!! The star anise added so much to the overall taste, i think its a must for this recipe!
Great dish. I do like your recipes.
I do love a good beef bourguignon and this one looks mouth watering! Perfect comfort food!
Loved that it hit all the right notes!
This looks likes the perfect hearty meal and I can’t wait to make it for my family. I love that it is a slow cooker meal too.
This is such a well written post! I simply loved it. You have added amazing value to the content. I am a vegetarian so beef is out for me but I enjoyed reading it. Absolutely loved the photos!
Oh my gosh! This stew looks so tasty! We eat stew all year long here (in Arizona) because if we wait for the weather to cool off…well that day may never come! Pinning this one to try next time, thanks!
What a fabulous Sunday dinner idea! Love how hearty and tasty this looks!