Hearty slow cooker beef bourguignon is the perfect easy meal. Tender beef that falls apart, bacon, carrots, and mushroom all bathed in a rich red wine sauce. Chuck it in the slow cooker in the morning, forget about it, and it’s ready to go for dinner in the evening.
Slow cookers get a bad reputation, but I love them. I think sometimes people might not realise the slow cooker’s potential, it doesn’t have to be the beef stew that traumatised you from your childhood… something I never personally experienced, which may be why I love them so much.
This slow cooker beef bourguignon is super easy. I like to prepare all my slow cooker meals the night before, pop everything into a container, then dump it in the next morning. I am not a morning person, and the ADHD makes being organised before the meds kick in a lot harder, I do not want to have to worry about chopping anything before work. For this recipe I used two containers, one for the raw veggies and one for the seared beef and bacon.
Key Ingredients
- Beef is of course one of the stars in this recipe. There are a couple choices of cut you could go for. I like to use rump as it is on the cheaper side, and since it is slow cooking the beef will come out super tender. You could also use brisket or chuck roast.
- Carrot adds a pop of colour, and brings a nice earthy tone. Carrot is a recurring vegetable in a lot of stew recipes, it is able to slow cooker and become tender – without turning to mush.
- Mushrooms I used were simple white buttons. I like to remove the stems from my mushrooms, and peel the outer layer. I find removing the outer layer helps to get rid of this potential slimy texture.
- Aromatics are going to be the classic onion and garlic. Fresh garlic is best, but I have recently got into the habit of using jarlic (jarred garlic) due to its price and ease. This pair helps build the base flavour of the slow cooker beef bourguignon.
- Beef stock is the key choice of liquid. It supports the other ingredients with its beautiful savoury flavour. Some people choose to omit stock from their beef bourguignon, but I find using beef stock mellows out the sharpness of the wine.
- Red wine is the other star ingredient of this recipe. My wine of choice is going to be a pinot noir. I like using pinot noir for cooking as it is a lighter red that helps tenderise the beef without being too overpowering. The beauty of slow cooking is that you do not need to splash out on a pricey wine, I always just go for the cheapest option.
- Tomato paste brings another level of flavour. Tomato is not going to be a key flavour, but by adding some tomato paste it creates depth and enhances the taste of the dish.
- Seasonings consist of thyme, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, and a beef oxo cube. These combined bring the slow cooker beef bourguignon to life with their harmonious blend!
How to make this indulgent beef bourguignon
Prepare the fresh ingredients.
Start by preparing your ingredients. Cut the beef into medium sized chunks, and slice the bacon into smaller pieces. Peel the outer layers of the onion, carrot, and mushrooms. Cut the carrots into rounds, and the onion into medium sized pieces. Remove the stem from the mushrooms, and cut the tops into smaller pieces.
Sear the meat.
To a medium-high heat pan, add the bacon. Fry the bacon so that the fat renders out, and the pieces start to crisp. Remove then set aside. Add the beef chunks to the same pan with the leftover bacon fat. Sear the beef until the pieces are nice and browned on the outside. Remove and set aside.
Overnight storage (optional).
If preparing the night before, now add the meat and vegetable to separate containers. Let them cool down, then keep in the fridge overnight.
Assemble the slow cooker beef bourguignon.
Turn the slow cooker on high, then add the garlic and tomato paste. Let these saute for a few minutes. Add the beef, bacon, and vegetable mix into the slow cooker as well. Season with thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and the beef oxo cube. Pour the beef stock and red wine into the slow cooker. Give everything a stir.
Slow cook and enjoy.
Turn the heat to low, and leave to slow cook for 9-10 hours. 30 minutes before serving, mix in a cornstarch. Then serve and enjoy!
Storage
Slow cooker beef bourguignon is a great meal to make in a large batch, and have for leftovers. Allow the dish to cool to a lukewarm temperature, then place in an airtight container. This should keep fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you would like to freeze the leftovers, they can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.
What to serve with slow cooker beef bourguignon?
Good question! As you will be able to see from the photo, I served mine with mashed potatoes and my parmesan roasted brussel sprouts. You can’t go wrong with a good old mash with this decadent gravy! You could also serve it with some toasted bread, maybe even some rice.
More cozy recipes:
- Roast Lamb
- Meatballs n Gravy
- Chicken Coconut Curry
- Short Rib Ragu
- Brie and Bacon Gnocchi
- Leek and Bacon Orzo
- Massaman Curry
Alrighty, you should now have everything you need to know to make this divine slow cooker beef bourguignon! You do not want to miss out on this easy cozy meal. Come on, let’s get to cooking this decadent dish. You do not want to miss out on this one.
Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
Ingredients
- 2 onions
- 2 carrots
- 3 cloves garlic
- 250 g mushrooms
- 1 kg beef rump
- 4 cups beef stock
- 2 cups red wine
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp thyme
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 oxo cube
Instructions
- Start by preparing your ingredients. Cut the beef into medium sized chunks, and slice the bacon into smaller pieces. Peel the outer layers of the onion, carrot, and mushrooms. Cut the carrots into rounds, and the onion into medium sized pieces. Remove the stem from the mushrooms, and cut the tops into smaller pieces.
- To a medium-high heat pan, add the bacon. Fry the bacon so that the fat renders out, and the pieces start to crisp. Remove then set aside.
- Add the beef chunks to the same pan with the leftover bacon fat. Sear the beef until the pieces are nice and browned on the outside. Remove and set aside.
- If preparing the night before, now add the meat and vegetable to separate containers. Keep in the fridge overnight.
- Turn the slow cooker on high, then add the garlic and tomato paste. Let these saute for a few minutes.
- Add the beef, bacon, and vegetable mix into the slow cooker as well.
- Season with thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and the beef oxo cube.
- Pour the beef stock and red wine into the slow cooker. Give everything a stir.
- Turn the heat to low, and leave to slow cook for 9-10 hours.
- 30 minutes before serving, mix in a cornstarch. Then serve and enjoy!
