Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

The skillet gets crowded fast when the beef goes in, and that’s the moment to resist the urge to rush. Browning the cubes in batches gives them room to build a dark crust instead of steaming, and those browned bits become part of the sauce once the wine hits the pan. That’s the difference I notice most in this slow cooker beef bourguignon: the finished gravy tastes layered, not just like broth that’s been sitting with meat.

I build the sauce right in the same skillet, with the carrots and onion, tomato paste, flour, and wine. Scraping up the sticky bits as the wine simmers brings the flavor into the slow cooker, while the flour helps give the cooking liquid body. The beef turns tender over the long cook, and the mushrooms and pearl onions go in near the end so they keep their shape. What you get is a rich, savory stew with tender beef and a glossy, wine-dark sauce.

Why the Slow Cooker Can’t Build the Beef’s Browning for You

A slow cooker is excellent at turning a well-marbled cut tender, but it won’t give the beef a browned surface. That happens in the skillet, where dry cubes meet hot oil and have room to sear. If the pan is packed, the beef releases moisture and steams; the batches take longer, but they leave you with the browned edges and savory residue that make the sauce taste like it started with more than liquid.

The skillet work also connects the flavors instead of leaving them in separate layers. The carrots and yellow onion soften in the same pan, and the tomato paste cooks briefly before the flour goes in. When the wine simmers, it lifts the fond from the bottom of the skillet. Scrape thoroughly, including the corners, so that concentrated flavor doesn’t stay behind when you pour the mixture over the beef and bacon.

That’s why I don’t skip the stovetop portion even though the slow cooker does most of the cooking. It’s a short stretch of active work that gives the long, gentle cook a more complete base. The finished sauce should taste savory and rounded, with the wine integrated rather than sharp.

What the Beef, Wine, and Late-Added Vegetables Bring to the Pot

• Beef chuck — Chuck has enough connective tissue and marbling to become tender during the slow cook without losing its beefy character. Cut it into even 1 1/2-inch cubes so the pieces finish at about the same time; very lean cuts don’t give the sauce the same richness and are more likely to turn dry. If you buy a whole chuck roast, cut it yourself for more consistent pieces.
• Bacon — Regular diced bacon supplies smoky flavor and the drippings used to start the beef and vegetables. A standard grocery-store bacon works well; an expensive specialty bacon isn’t necessary. Leaving it out makes the stew less smoky and less savory, so I keep it in for the classic result.
• Dry red wine — Choose a dry red such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Pinot Noir; an inexpensive bottle you’d be comfortable drinking is enough. Sweet wine can push the sauce in the wrong direction. If you need to cook without wine, use the same amount of beef broth instead; the sauce will be milder and won’t have wine’s acidity and depth.
• All-purpose flour — It thickens the skillet base as it cooks with the tomato paste and vegetables. Stir it in well and give it the full minute so it doesn’t leave a raw flour taste. For a gluten-free version, use the cornstarch method in the variations below rather than swapping flour directly into the skillet.
• Cremini mushrooms and frozen pearl onions — Cremini mushrooms bring an earthy note, while pearl onions add sweetness in distinct, tender bites. White button mushrooms work in the same amount and can be quartered the same way. The frozen pearl onions are convenient and go straight into the slow cooker from the freezer; there’s no need to thaw them first.

Build the Wine Sauce Before the Slow Cooker Takes Over

Render the Bacon, Then Brown the Beef

Cook the diced bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Transfer it to a 6-quart slow cooker and leave about 1 tablespoon of drippings in the skillet. Pat the beef dry, season it with kosher salt and black pepper, then heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side and transfer each batch to the slow cooker; if the pieces crowd one another, work in another batch rather than piling them up.

Soften the Vegetables and Cook the Flour

Add the carrots and chopped yellow onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. They should begin to soften, with the onion losing its raw, sharp look. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute, then sprinkle in the flour and stir for another minute. Keep the flour moving so it coats the vegetables instead of clumping in one spot.

Deglaze and Pour the Sauce

Pour in the dry red wine and scrape the skillet bottom until the browned bits loosen. Let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes; the sharp smell of raw wine should mellow as it bubbles. Stir in the beef broth, dried thyme, and bay leaf, then pour the mixture over the beef and bacon. The beef should be covered in the sauce mixture, though the slow cooker doesn’t need to be filled to the top.

Slow-Cook the Beef, Then Finish with Vegetables

Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the beef is nearly fork-tender. Stir in the quartered mushrooms and frozen pearl onions, cover again, and cook on LOW for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or HIGH for 45 to 60 minutes. The vegetables should be tender and the beef fork-tender at the end. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Two Practical Ways to Adapt This Bourguignon

Questions That Come Up When the Beef Is in the Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

Slow cooker beef bourguignon cooks beef chuck, bacon, and vegetables in dry red wine until fork-tender. The long, slow cook creates a rich gravy with tender mushrooms and pearl onions.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 9 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 10 hours hrs

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: French

Calories: 820

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 6 oz bacon diced
• 3 lb beef chuck cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 carrots medium, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 yellow onion medium, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 1.5 cups beef broth
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms quartered
• 1 bag (12 oz) frozen pearl onions

Equipment

• 1 12-inch skillet
• 1 6-quart slow cooker

Method

 

1. Cook the diced bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp.
2. Transfer the bacon to a 6-quart slow cooker, leaving about 1 tablespoon of drippings in the skillet.
3. Pat the beef chuck dry and season it with the kosher salt and black pepper.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in the skillet over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
5. Transfer each batch of browned beef to the slow cooker.
6. Add the carrots and yellow onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
8. Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour and stir for another minute.
9. Pour the dry red wine into the skillet, scrape up the browned bits, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
10. Stir in the beef broth, dried thyme, and bay leaf, then pour the mixture over the beef and bacon in the slow cooker.
11. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the beef is nearly fork-tender.
12. Stir in the cremini mushrooms and frozen pearl onions, cover, and cook on LOW for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or HIGH for 45 to 60 minutes, until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are tender.
13. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Notes

For the best texture, brown the beef in batches rather than crowding the skillet. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days; freeze for up to 3 months. For a gluten-free variation, use a gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour.