Beef Bourguignon Recipe

We took Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon famous recipe and modified it just a bit.

This is an incredible fall and winter family dinner with tender fall-apart chunks of beef simmered in a rich red wine gravy.

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 ounces (2 pieces) (170g) bacon, roughly chopped.
• 3 pounds (1 1/2 kg) Pierce Creek beef stew meat cut into bite-sized chunks approximately 1″.
• 2 pounds of thickly sliced carrots approximately 1/2″ thick.
• 1 large white onion, diced.
• 6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed.
• 1 tsp coarse salt and 1/2 tbsp freshly ground pepper.
• 2 tbsp flour
• 12 or more small pearl onions to taste
• 3 cups red wine like burgundy, merlot, pinot noir, or chianti for a milder sauce use 2 cups of wine and 3 cups of beef stock.
• 2-3 cups beef stock (if using 2 cups of wine use 3 cups of beef stock).
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 beef bouillon cube, crushed or beef 1 tsp beef bouillon paste.
• 4 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped.
• 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped.
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 pound fresh small white or brown mushrooms, quartered.
• 2 tablespoons butter

1. In a large pan or skillet, sauté the bacon over medium heat in 1 tablespoon of oil for about 3 minutes, until crisp and browned. Transfer cooked bacon to a 6 quart (liter) slow cooker bowl and leave bacon fat in the skillet.
2. Turn on the slow cooker and add the cooked bacon and 2-3 cups of unsalted beef stock.
3. Pat dry beef with paper towels, if needed cut large pieces so they are not more than a mouthful and sear in batches in the oil/bacon fat until browned on all sides, add the seared beef to the slow cooker.
4. Chop or press 6 cloves of garlic, the chopped white onion, and the pearl onions, (which if larger may be halved) and sauté everything.
5. Pour 2 – 3 cups red wine into the skillet and simmer for 4-5 minutes, then whisk in 2 tbsp flour until free from lumps, 2 tbsp. tomato paste, and 1 tsp. beef paste or bouillon cube. Allow to reduce and thicken slightly, then pour it into the slow cooker along with herbs. Season with 1/2 tsp coarse salt and 1/2 tbsp ground pepper and stir well to mix all of the ingredients.
6. Add the chopped carrots.
7. Cook on high heat for 5 hours or low for 8 hours, or until beef is falling apart and tender. We couldn’t wait and had a cup after 3 hours, the beef was tender, the carrots had a slight crunch, and it was delicious!
8. During the last 30 minutes of cooking time prepare the mushrooms and melt the butter on medium heat in the same skillet used for everything else, hopefully, there is some delicious residue. Add 2 cloves garlic if desired and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), add the mushrooms, and lightly stir until everything is covered in oil/butter. Turn off and cover.
9. During the last 15 minutes, heat a baguette in the oven.
10. Add mushrooms to the bottom of individual serving bowls and ladle beef bourguignon on top.
11. Serve with warm baguette slices, and a full-bodied red wine such as burgundy.
12. Optional: garnish with fresh parsley and serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.