My Crock Pot Beef Bourguignon is a fix it and forget it meal at its finest ~ this easy slow cooker beef stew is a pared down version of the fancy French dish and I promise it will get rave reviews!
Slow cooker meals are a lot of things, but they certainly aren’t elegant. They might be delicious, of course they’re easy, they make your kitchen smell insane. and they make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, but they aren’t what anyone would call fancy. And that’s ok. When you’re hungry after a long day you don’t need fancy. I’ve been thinking a lot about slow cookers lately. I’ve had one for years, but honestly it doesn’t get that much use. Most of my cooking is done from fresh ingredients in a pretty quick manner, and I don’t really need it on a regular basis. But every time I do haul it out, I fall in love all over again. And with both my daughters newly out on their own I’ve been reminded of what a godsend a slow cooker can be.
Today I took my favorite Beef Bourguignon and adapted it for the crock pot and I must say, I think it’s a rare example of an elegant slow cooked meal. I say adapted, but I really didn’t have to do anything much, and it’s true that most soups and stews can be made in the crock pot, with just a few small adjustments. Some recipes fare better than others, though, and sometimes color and texture can be sacrificed in the name of convenience. I like to choose hearty dishes like stews and dried bean soups for my slow cooker; they not only tolerate, but benefit from the prolonged cooking time.
My Slow Cooked Peach Barbecue Smothered Pork Chops is a perfect example of how long slow cooling can take a potentially tough cut of meat like pork chops, and render them fork tender.
The secret to a great bourguignon is in the sauce. More specifically, it’s in the Burgundy, its namesake deep red wine that tenderizes the meat and gives the sauce a rich base.
A large shot of Cognac enriches it even further, and during the long slow cooking the two produce an amazing sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 lb stewing beef, cut in large chunks
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 Tbsp flour (leave out for gluten free)
- 1 bunch fresh thyme, tied in a bundle (reserve some leaves for garnish)
- 1/2 cup cognac
- 2 cups beef stock or broth
- 2 cups red wine (Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir)
- 1 heaping Tbsp tomato paste (I like the kind in the tube)
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 yellow onion, peeled, halved, and sliced
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut in 1 inch pieces
- 1 lb small white skinned potatoes, left whole if small, or cut in large chunks
- 8 oz (give or take) mushrooms, dusted off and halved
- 1 bag frozen pearl onions
- a splash of red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
Instructions
- Browning the meat is an optional step, but if you have the time, I like to do it. Skip this step if you like. Heat the oil in large heavy saute pan or stock pot. Toss the meat with the salt, pepper, and flour, When the oil is nice and hot, brown the meat, in 2 batches, until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes per batch. Put the meat in the bottom of your slow cooker and top with the bundle of thyme.
- Turn off the heat and add the cognac to the pan, and scrape up all the brown bits as the liquid bubbles. Add the wine and beef stock and continue stirring until you've gotten all of the good stuff off the bottom and sides of the pan, put it back on the heat if necessary. Stir in the tomato paste.
- Add the garlic, carrots, onion, potatoes, mushrooms and pearl onions to the slow cooker. Add the liquid from the pan to the slow cooker and give everything a gentle stir to get it settled.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- At the end of cooking, remove the bundle of thyme and taste to check the seasonings. I like to add a splash of vinegar at this point, add it according to taste. If you want a thicker sauce, stir in a knob of butter coated with flour, or sprinkle in some Wondra flour and stir well. Use corn or potato starch for gluten free.
- Serve the stew with a sprinkling of fresh thyme leaves.
Notes
There is a lot of alcohol in this dish, and while most of is DOES cook out, even in a covered slow cooker, there will be some remaining...so save this for the adults. The potatoes are not normally included in Bourguignon, but I added them to round out the stew as a complete meal. No use in using the slow cooker if you have to make a side dish!
notes:
- If you love the idea of easy elegance, you might also like my EASY CASSOULET ~ it’s a scaled down version of the French classic.
Don’t forget to pin this wonderful slow cooker/crock pot beef bourguignon!
53 Comments
Emory Welcher
December 22, 2018 at 5:54 amHello, I’m looking forward to trying this for Christmas Eve dinner with my partner.
Is the cognac part of the recipe a must? Or can you skip it?
Thank You, and Happy Holidays!
Sue
December 22, 2018 at 6:51 amYou can skip it but it adds a really interesting depth of flavor. You can substitute red wine if you like, or leave it out.
Jay
December 5, 2018 at 1:17 pmI will need to double the recipe but am reluctant to double all the alcohol. Would you recommend beef bouillon as a substitute?
Sue
December 5, 2018 at 1:24 pmThat would work fine, Jay.
Catherine
July 19, 2018 at 6:57 pmJust curious, what size slow cooker is this recipe for? Thanks
Sue
July 19, 2018 at 8:46 pmAt the time I had just a standard size crock pot, Catherine, I don’t recall the exact specifications, but it’s pretty much standard.
Victor
May 6, 2018 at 5:23 pmThis is what real good food looks like.
Albert Bevia
December 18, 2017 at 6:20 amRecipes like this remind me that I need to invest in a crock pot, this sounds so delicious, plus I love anything that has cognac and red wine in the ingredients :)
Sue
December 18, 2017 at 6:25 amThanks Albert!
Cathy
December 12, 2016 at 8:15 amWhat size crock pot did you use? I have a 5.5 qt crock pot, and this recipe looks like it might be for a 4-qt. I can make quantity adjustments, but thought I would at least ask. The recipe looks fantastic, and I’d love to try this dish.
Sue
December 12, 2016 at 8:19 amHi Cathy, I’m not at home right now but I used a pretty standard size crock pot, I’ll check and see if I can be more specific when I’m home.
Cliff
August 30, 2016 at 7:21 amIn a recipe that came with my cooker, you first marinate the beef in the fridge overnight in wine with sliced onion, thyme, parsley, pepper and olive oil. I wonder if this is excessive or redundant as your recipe sounds fine without it. Any thoughts?
Sue
August 30, 2016 at 7:32 amMy recipe is definitely meant to be an easy version of beef bourguignon, Cliff, so I didn’t marinate. In my experience, marinating does make a difference in the flavor of meat, but since this will be cooking for so long in the crockpot I wonder if it would make as much of a difference as if, say, the meat were being grilled.
Jessica
August 19, 2016 at 12:31 pmMade this for dinner last night. Soooo delicious! We did alter it a bit, the biggest thing probably omitting the cognac and just using wine, but the wine really made the dish. The meat was breaking apart, it was so tender. We have leftovers, of course. We got a few slices of sourdough bread to sop up all that delicious gravy! This is a keeper!
Natasha
August 2, 2016 at 10:48 amI made this today, so amazing!!
Sue
August 2, 2016 at 12:32 pmThanks Natasha, I think Ina is just the best!
Arabella
May 17, 2016 at 10:32 pmI really love this and make it sometimes, thanks for sharing
Jen
April 26, 2016 at 8:33 amThis recipe looks great! I’m having a book club this Sunday for the book The Nightingale which takes place in France during WW2. Can I make this 2 days ahead as written and then reheat? Thank You!
Sue
April 26, 2016 at 10:21 amI think stews are always fantastic the day or so after…so go for it! The only thing I would mention is to put the veggies in late, so they don’t turn to mush.
Mary M. Martinez
April 12, 2016 at 7:29 amLove this recipe! Will have to give it a try
Sue
April 12, 2016 at 9:24 amThanks Mary!
Lindsay
January 22, 2016 at 12:07 pmCan I cook this on high for 5 hours and get a similar result?
Sue
January 22, 2016 at 12:42 pmIt kind of depends on your machine, Lindsay, but I think you could. If your crock pot gets very hot, though, the meat will not be as tender in the end. The best thing is to try so you will know for the future.
Tara
January 3, 2016 at 7:13 pmI made this today. After only 4 hours on low, the meat was tough and the carrots hard ;( wish it had come out better.
Sue
January 4, 2016 at 7:16 amHey Tara – this needs the full 6-8 hours, undisturbed time for everything to fully cook and come together.
Stephanie
November 17, 2014 at 4:18 amI have made Beef Bourguignon from a French cookbook, hours and hours of work but delicious. Yesterday I made your crock pot version. It smelled so tempting all day totally worth the wait; absolutely delicious down to the last drop. A big hit with my family and I rate it a 5 star keeper! I had leeks leftover from a previous meal so threw those in as well, otherwise followed your recipe down to the knob of floured butter and splash of red wine vinegar.
Sarah | Broma Bakery
November 2, 2014 at 5:41 pmToo gorgeous! Beef stew is one of my favorite dishes. Yours looks perfect to cuddle up with after a cold day like today :)
Caitlin
October 31, 2014 at 4:41 amI just made a sub par beef stew, but this one looks much better. I can’t wait to try it…I like the addition of pearl onions!
Sue
October 31, 2014 at 10:29 amI love pearl onions, too! Have you ever bought them fresh? It takes forever to peel them, but they are fantastic! That said, I always buy the frozen ones ;)
Pat
January 29, 2016 at 7:27 amThere are sources online that describe getting pearl onions out of their skin easily. Basically, it involves boiling them for 2 minutes, cooling in an ice bath, cutting off the root end and then popping them out of the skin. Sounds easy to me, but I bought them frozen–even easier.
Sue
January 29, 2016 at 11:38 amThanks Pat!
Liz+@+Floating+Kitchen
October 28, 2014 at 7:58 amI absolutely love my slow cooker, but I certainly don’t use it as much as I should. This recipe looks great!
Susan
October 27, 2014 at 11:29 amThis looks delicious, Sue! Fall and winter are the time I crave meals like this one. Certainly going to try this!
Tricia+@+Saving+room+for+dessert
October 27, 2014 at 9:53 amThis looks like perfection – and I’ve always thought potatoes should be in the stew. Great slow cooker recipe Sue!
Sippitysup
October 26, 2014 at 5:17 pmCrock pot. The name makes me smile. Of course so does bourguignon (the kind in the bowl and in the glass). GREG
Joanne
October 26, 2014 at 5:31 amIt’s true that slow cooker meals don’t tend to be very aesthetically pleasing, but this is a beauty. The perfect comfort food!
Adri
October 25, 2014 at 9:37 pmI love my slow cooker, and this dish is just perfect. It looks beautiful, and I can just imagine how good it smells and how wonderful it tastes. It is the time of year for dishes like this!
Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti
October 25, 2014 at 8:35 pmThis looks fabulous, Sue! I do like to use my slow cooker for certain recipes and stews are one of them!
Angie@Angie's+Recipes
October 25, 2014 at 8:19 pmI want and need this slow cooker stew so BADLY! It looks so comforting and delish, Sue.
Catherine
October 25, 2014 at 1:28 pmA beautiful meal. Catherine
cheri
October 25, 2014 at 12:38 pmHi Sue, I have been contemplating buying a slow cooker, now after seeing this elegant feast my mind is now made up. Looks delicious, I can only imagine what your house smelled like…….
Sue
October 25, 2014 at 2:06 pmIt’s nice that they’re so inexpensive, I just convinced both my daughters to get one!
Carol+at+Wild+Goose+Tea
October 25, 2014 at 12:33 pmToday is one of those grey fall days. One where you need to take drive and see the color in the leaves to relieve all the grey. Or you stay home and make this wonderful dinner, which indeed is elegant. Set a beautiful table with the wine glasses and forget about the grey and rain outside.
Sue
October 25, 2014 at 2:09 pmYour comment makes me miss the East Coast — and yes, it does sound like a good day to plug in the crock pot!
Monica
October 25, 2014 at 12:28 pmSo exciting because I recently made beef bourguignon – first time in..forever! And now, I know how to do it in a crock pot. Looks divine and saving it for the adults sounds good to me! : )
Joyce
October 25, 2014 at 11:16 amI had a lot of friends visiting last week and I made up a recipe that was almost a carbon copy of this. I made it up in my head and it was so popular with the guests. Now I see with your recipe that I need to add small onions and some vinegar and some tomato paste. Can’t wait to serve it again to guests. It saved me so much work with the Crock Pot. I made homemade apple sauce with cranberries and good bread. Delish! They had two helpings…..and raved.
Sue
October 25, 2014 at 11:29 amSounds great!
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
October 25, 2014 at 11:08 amI love beef bourguignon! With red wine and cognac, I can only imagine how incredible this smelled simmering away in your kitchen!
Sue
October 25, 2014 at 11:29 amI really love the cognac, I think I’m going to add that to all my stews from now on ;)
Monique
October 25, 2014 at 10:22 amIt looks great..One of my fave winter dishes..That was so true what you wrote..after the whole cooking time..things don’t photo as prettily..I agree!
Sue
October 25, 2014 at 10:43 amThanks Monique! With slow cooked meals you really have to go the extra mile with garnishes, I think that makes a huge difference!
Samantha+@FerraroKitchen
October 25, 2014 at 8:43 amThis is one of my favorite dishes ever! I often make Julia Child’s, over the stove and then in the oven and have been wanting to try it in the slow cooker! And is it bad that I add a whole bottle of wine in? haha
Sue
October 25, 2014 at 9:17 amMy regular recipe includes the whole bottle, but with the slow cooker you don’t need as much — the Julia Child recipe is great but SO much work — I hope you give this one a try!