Melt-in-Your-Mouth Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
This melt-in-your-mouth slow cooker beef bourguignon is a rich and hearty French-inspired stew made with tender chunks of beef, red wine, vegetables, and herbs. Slow cooking allows the flavors to deepen and the meat to become incredibly soft and juicy. It’s the ultimate comfort food, perfect for a cozy dinner served over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or crusty bread.
Ingredients
2 ½ pounds beef chuck, cut into large chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 carrots, sliced
2 cups baby potatoes or chopped gold potatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup beef broth
1 ½ cups dry red wine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
8 ounces mushrooms, halved
Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then sear the chunks in batches until browned on all sides. Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker.
In the same skillet, sauté the garlic and onion for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Add tomato paste and flour, stirring for another minute to coat. Pour in the red wine and beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Pour the mixture over the beef in the slow cooker. Add carrots, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir gently to combine everything.
Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
About 30 minutes before serving, add the mushrooms and stir them in. Cover and continue cooking until the mushrooms are tender.
Remove the bay leaf before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve hot.
Notes
Using a good-quality dry red wine, like Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon, enhances the depth of flavor in the stew. Searing the beef before slow cooking adds a rich, savory base that’s worth the extra step. This dish gets even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the slow cooker.