Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon, a comforting, flavour-packed dinner made with tender chunks of beef, smoked streaky bacon, carrots and mushrooms cooked in a rich red wine gravy that is absolutely delicious. It's an easy meal for chilly evenings when you need something hearty and nutritious without spending hours in the kitchen.
Inspired by the classic French beef bourguignon, my slow cooker version uses a simpler list of ingredients to make it fuss-free and as delicious with the same tender beef and rich red wine gravy.
Slow cookers can be life savers at this time of the year, when we need a comforting meal waiting for us at the end of a long cold day, rather than just relying on a takeaway or a store-bought freezer meal.
And this is not just food to fill the tummy, but luxuriously rich and comforting food that pampers your taste buds with every single mouthful. And it's so easy to make it, you will want to have it on your weekly dinner rotation!
Beef bourguignon is a wonderful beef stew that is built with layers of flavours. And to achieve this level of perfection, we need to carefully prep the dish, rather than dumping everything in the slow cooker.
The prep might be a bit longer than expected, but the result will make it well worth it! Some dishes cannot be rushed if we want maximum flavour. Half an hour of prepping will reward you with the most delicious dinner that even fussy eaters will enjoy!
Jump to:
Note!
Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
Ingredients overview
- beef - I used stewing beef which needs to be cooked slowly in order to become tender and delicious. This is the best beef to use.
- beef stock - adds a deeper flavour and colour to the gravy. You can also dissolve a cube of bouillon in hot water for the same results
- Worcestershire sauce - adds a sharp touch and extra depth of flavour
- bacon - I used smoked streaky bacon, whose fat added tons of flavour to the dish. You can also use any other bacon you have around
- onion, garlic, mushrooms & carrots - they create the veggie base which cook beautifully to add more goodness
- butter & olive oil - to fry the beef and the veggies, they make a nice combo. The oil also prevents the butter from burning too quickly when searing the beef
- flour - helps sear the beef to a deeper colour and thickens the gravy
- tomato paste - adds a naturally sweet touch and richness to the sauce
- salt, pepper & thyme - to taste
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- use kitchen paper to pat the beef dry, add the flour, season with salt and pepper and mix well to coat the beef in flour
- in a large pan set over a medium-high heat, add the butter and oil and allow the butter to melt
- add the beef and sear it well on both sides, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan
- remove the beef from the pan, and transfer it to the slow cooker
- in the same pan, add the chopped bacon, and fry it
- add the onion and leave it to cook for 2-3 minutes until it's soft
- pour in the wine and leave it to bubble away for 2 minutes, then add the mushrooms, garlic, peeled and sliced carrots, herbs, tomato puree and Worcestershire sauce
- transfer everything to the slow cooker and place the lid on
- cook it on high for 4 hours or on slow for 8-9 hours until the beef is tender, melting in your mouth
Expert tips
Don't add too much liquid to the slow cooker, unlike cooking it in a pan on a cooker, where liquid can evaporate, the slow cooker retains moisture, so the gravy will be too thin.
Brown the beef before adding it to the slow cooker, searing creates a deeply brown surface that adds tons of flavour to the stew. Do not overcrowd the pan, or the beef will steam rather than sear.
Cooking the bacon and onions also adds lots of flavour, so do not skip this step, it's as important as searing the beef. It also cooks down the fat from the bacon, which creates deeper flavours.
You can make this dish ahead and refrigerate to be used within 2-3 days, or you can freeze it. Just portion it in freezer-safe containers.
What to serve with beef bourguignon?
We served ours with creamy parmesan mashed potatoes, which really makes the best combo, but you can also have it with crusty bread for a hearty meal that everybody loves.
If you’ve liked this recipe or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM , YOUTUBE, TIK TOK , FLIPBOARD and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.
Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
Ingredients
- 700 g stewing beef (chuck beef/ braising beef, 1.5 lb)
- 200 ml red wine (â…” cup)
- 250 ml beef stock (broth, 1 cup)
- 160 g smoked streaky bacon (5 oz)
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 carrots
- 200 g white button mushrooms (7 oz)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 30 g butter (2 tbsp)
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoon plain flour
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Use kitchen paper to pat the beef dry, add the flour, season with salt and pepper and mix well to coat the beef in flour.
- In a large pan set over a medium-high heat, add the butter and oil and allow the butter to melt.
- Add the beef and sear it well on both sides, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Remove the beef from the pan, and transfer it to the slow cooker.
- In the same pan, add the chopped bacon, and fry it until golden brown.
- Add the peeled and chopped onion and leave it to cook for 2-3 minutes until it's soft.
- Pour in the wine and leave it to bubble away for 2 minutes, then add the mushrooms, peeled and sliced carrots, peeled and chopped garlic, herbs, tomato puree and Worcestershire sauce.
- Transfer everything to the slow cooker and place the lid on.
- Cook it on high for 4 hours or on slow for 8-9 hours until the beef is tender, melting in your mouth.
- Garnish with freshly-chopped parsley if you wish.
Notes
Nutrition
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Leave a Reply