Ultimate Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon recipe! This delicious beef bourguignon recipe makes meltingly tender beef right in the crock pot.
Beef bourguignon is an amazing dinner that's so warm and comforting. But the version popularlized by Julia Child is hardly a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
Enter the slow cooker. The crock pot is is the perfect way to transform this fantastic dinner into something that's more weeknight friendly.
This beef bourguignon recipe does require a fair amount of prep work, but I've included prep ahead tips to help you speed up the time in the morning.
And it's so worth it! This is one of my family's favorite dinner recipes. Give it a try, and it may become one of your family's faves, too.
What Is The Difference Between Beef Bourguignon and Beef Stew?
The short answer is that beef bourguignon contains wine and beef stew doesn't.
Beef bourguignon has a similar base of cooked and softened vegetables, beef broth, and cubed beef. However, it's made with a generous amount of red wine.
How To Make Beef Bourguignon In A Slow Cooker
Cook the bacon and remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain the bacon grease, reserving 2 tablespoons.
Add 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease to the now-empty skillet, and cook the evetables until softened, about 4 minutes.
Remove the softened veggies to the bottom of the slow cooker insert.
Add the remaining tablespoon of bacon grease to the now-empty skillet. Working in batches, brown the beef.
Remove the browned beef to the slow cooker insert. Crumble the cooked bacon on top of the browned beef.
Add the wine to the now-empty skillet. Cook until the wine has reduced by half.
Pour the reduced wine into the slow cooker insert. Add the beef broth and season with salt and thyme.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Tips For Making Beef Bourguignon
Tips For Making Beef Bourguignon- Beef: You can use a cut of meat such as a chuck roast, rump roast, top round roast, or even stew meat. The most important thing is that you use a cut that's made for long low and slow cooking.
- Wine: This recipe needs dry red wine. Look for wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Pinot Noir.
- Beef broth: I prefer to use reduced-sodium broth to control the amount of salt. However, you can use regular broth or cooking stock if you prefer.
- Mushrooms: We skip the mushrooms in this dish, but feel free to add them along with the other vegetables. Saute them until they have softened and given off their liquid.
- Prep ahead tips: This recipe requires more pre-cooking than many dump-and-go slow cooker recipes. To speed up the morning prep, you can complete the recipe through step 12 the night before. If you prep it ahead, I recommend storing the vegetables in one resealable container and the beef and bacon in a second container. Then, just add them to the slow cooker in the morning and continue with the recipe as-written.
How To Serve Beef Bourguignon
Beef bourguignon is fantastic served over mashed potatoes. It's also delicious served over noodles like egg noodles or with a loaf of crusty French bread.
More Slow Cooker Beef Recipes!
More Slow Cooker Beef Recipes!If you’ve tried this slow cooker beef bourguignon recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who've made my recipes!
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Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
Ingredients
- 2 ½ - 3 pounds chuck roast1 (or similar cut)
- 4 slices thick cut bacon
- 1 cup diced white or yellow onion
- 1 ½ cups peeled and diced carrot
- 1 ½ cups diced celery
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt²
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
Instructions
- Cut beef into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp.
- Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Drain the bacon grease, reserving 2 tablespoons of bacon grease.
- Return 1 tablespoon bacon grease to the now-empty skillet.
- Add the onion, carrot, and celery.
- Cook until vegetables have softened, about 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the vegetables to the bottom of the slow cooker insert.
- Return remaining 1 tablespoon bacon grease to now-empty skillet.
- Working in batches, brown the beef until golden brown. Don't crowd the beef or it will steam, not brown.
- Remove the beef to the slow cooker insert.
- Crumble the cooked bacon over the top of the beef in the slow cooker.
- Pour the wine into the now-empty skillet.
- Cook over medium-high heat until the wine has reduced by half, about 3-5 minutes.
- Pour the reduced wine into the slow cooker insert.
- Sprinkle the salt and thyme over the beef in the slow cooker.
- Pour the beef broth around the beef in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
Notes
- Similar cuts such as rump roast. Can also use stew meat.
- Or 1/2 teaspoon table salt.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Patty says
Excellent recipe. Since I don’t have much time in the mornings, I followed the tips and precooked part of it the night before. I’m adding this to our regular rotation. Thanks for sharing!
Kate says
Thanks! I’m glad your family liked it and that the tips helped. =) Thanks for commenting!