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!
59 Comments
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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.
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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.