Slow cooker beef bourguignon takes the most famous French stew and makes it a realistic weeknight or Sunday project. Chuck roast, red wine, bacon, mushrooms and pearl onions cook low and slow until the beef falls apart and the sauce turns glossy and deep.
The traditional version spends three hours in the oven and needs attention along the way. This one asks for about 30 minutes of browning and deglazing at the start, then hands everything to the slow cooker for the afternoon.
The result is not a shortcut in flavor. Browning the beef and bacon, cooking down the wine and finishing with sautéed mushrooms are the steps that matter, and they are all here.
Serve it over mashed potatoes or buttered noodles with a piece of crusty bread, and you have a dinner that feels like a special occasion.
Why this recipe works
- Browning the beef in batches builds a deep, savory crust that flavors the entire sauce. Crowding the pan steams the meat instead.
- Bacon renders first and its fat is used to brown the beef, so smoke and richness run through every layer.
- Reducing the wine briefly on the stove before it goes into the slow cooker cooks off harsh alcohol notes that a slow cooker cannot burn off on its own.
- Tomato paste and a small amount of flour thicken the sauce as it cooks, so it coats the beef rather than pooling like broth.
- Mushrooms are sautéed separately and added at the end. They stay firm and browned instead of turning gray and spongy.
Ingredients you’ll need
Beef chuck roast is the cut to buy. It is well marbled and full of connective tissue that melts into gelatin over a long cook, which is what makes the sauce feel rich and the meat tender.
A dry red wine is the heart of the dish. Bacon, onion, carrots and garlic are the aromatics, and tomato paste, beef broth, thyme and a bay leaf build the sauce.
For the finish, you want cremini mushrooms, frozen pearl onions and butter. A little fresh parsley on top keeps it from feeling heavy.
None of these are unusual ingredients, but choose the wine and beef with some care. They are doing most of the work.
Ingredient notes and smart substitutions
Beef
Use 3 pounds of boneless chuck roast, trimmed of large fat pockets and cut into 2 inch cubes. Large cubes hold together through 8 hours of cooking. Bottom round or brisket work but are leaner and slightly less tender. Avoid stew meat trays, which often mix cuts that cook at different rates. The beef must be fully thawed before it goes in.
Red wine
Pinot Noir is traditional, but any dry red you would drink works: Merlot, Côtes du Rhône or Cabernet Sauvignon. Use 2 cups. Skip anything labeled cooking wine. It is salty and thin. For an alcohol free version, use 2 cups of extra beef broth plus 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.
Bacon
Six ounces of thick cut bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, gives smoke and fat. Pancetta is the closer French cousin if you can find it. If you skip the bacon, brown the beef in 2 tablespoons of oil and add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika.
Mushrooms
Cremini mushrooms hold their shape and have more flavor than white button mushrooms, though both work. Use 1 pound, halved or quartered depending on size. Sauté them in butter until deeply browned before adding.
Pearl onions
Frozen pearl onions are already peeled and save 20 minutes. Use 1 1/2 cups and add them for the last hour. If you only have a regular onion, dice it and add it with the carrots at the start.
Broth, tomato paste and thickener
Two cups of low sodium beef broth, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour make a sauce with body. For a gluten free version, skip the flour and stir a slurry of 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 3 tablespoons cold water into the finished stew, then cook on HIGH for 15 minutes.
How to make it
1. Render the bacon
Cook the bacon pieces in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes until crisp. Transfer to the slow cooker with a slotted spoon and leave the fat in the pan.
2. Brown the beef in batches
Pat the beef very dry with paper towels and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Raise the heat to medium high. Brown the beef in three batches, about 3 minutes per side, without moving the pieces until they release easily. Transfer each batch to the slow cooker. Add a little oil between batches if the pan is dry.
3. Cook the aromatics
Lower the heat to medium. Add the diced onion and carrots to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then sprinkle in the flour and stir for another minute.
4. Deglaze with wine
Pour in the wine and bring it to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble for 3 to 4 minutes to cook off the sharpest alcohol. Stir in the broth, thyme and bay leaf, then pour everything over the beef in the slow cooker.
5. Cook low and slow
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours or on HIGH for 4 1/2 to 5 hours. Do not lift the lid during cooking. The beef is done when it pulls apart easily with a fork. It will be far past any minimum safe temperature. Tenderness is the only test that matters here.
6. Add the pearl onions
About one hour before the end, stir in the frozen pearl onions. They need only that long to become tender and sweet.
7. Sauté the mushrooms
In the last 20 minutes, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and cook without stirring for 4 minutes, then toss and cook 4 more minutes until browned. Season with a pinch of salt.
8. Finish the stew
Stir the mushrooms into the slow cooker. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. If the sauce is thinner than you like, leave the lid off and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
The sauce is thin. The slow cooker traps steam, so the sauce cannot reduce. Cook uncovered on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes, or stir in a cornstarch slurry and cook 15 minutes more.
The beef is tough. It needs more time, not less. Tough beef at hour 8 usually means the cubes were large and the pot was full. Give it another hour on LOW and test again.
The wine tastes harsh. It was not reduced before going in. Stir in 1 teaspoon of sugar or 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and let the stew cook 30 more minutes. Next time, boil the wine for 3 to 4 minutes on the stove first.
The mushrooms are gray and rubbery. They went in at the start. Always sauté them separately and add them at the end.
The stew is greasy. The chuck had large fat pockets that melted. Skim the surface with a wide spoon, or chill the stew and lift off the solid fat before reheating.
Timing and make ahead plan
The hands on work is about 30 to 35 minutes at the start. Set out everything before you begin so the browning goes smoothly. The bacon, beef and aromatics move quickly once the pan is hot.
You can do the browning and deglazing the night before. Cool the beef and sauce, refrigerate them together in a container, and pour into the slow cooker in the morning. Add about 30 minutes to the LOW time for the cold start.
The finished stew holds on WARM for up to 2 hours without harm. Add the mushrooms right before serving so they stay firm.
Like most braises, bourguignon is better the next day. Make it a day ahead for a dinner party, chill it overnight, skim the fat and reheat gently on the stove.
For a workday, brown everything in the morning and set a programmable slow cooker for 9 hours on LOW. The onions and mushrooms take 20 minutes when you get home.
Tips for the best slow cooker beef bourguignon
- Dry the beef thoroughly. Wet meat steams instead of browning, and browning is where the flavor comes from.
- Do not crowd the pan. Three batches take an extra 10 minutes and are worth every one.
- Scrape the pan well when you deglaze. The browned bits stuck to the bottom are concentrated flavor.
- Use a wine you would drink. It is a third of the liquid, and its flavor is front and center.
- Finish with fresh parsley and a pinch of salt. A long braise flattens flavors, and this brings them back.
Variations
- With potatoes: Add 1 pound of halved baby potatoes with the beef for a one pot meal.
- Extra vegetables: Add 2 diced parsnips with the carrots and a handful of frozen peas in the last 15 minutes.
- Brandy finish: Add 2 tablespoons of brandy or cognac to the wine when deglazing.
- Short rib style: Use 3 1/2 pounds of bone in short ribs instead of chuck and cook for the full 9 hours on LOW. Pull the bones out before serving.
- Herb boost: Tie a small bundle of fresh thyme, parsley stems and a bay leaf with kitchen twine and drop it in. Remove before serving.
Equipment that makes this easier
A 6 quart slow cooker fits 3 pounds of beef with room for the sauce. A heavy 12 inch skillet or a Dutch oven gives you the surface area to brown in large batches.
Tongs make turning the beef cubes easy. A flat wooden spatula scrapes the pan clean when you deglaze. A fine mesh skimmer or a fat separator helps remove grease before serving.
If you have a slow cooker with a stovetop safe insert, you can brown directly in the insert and skip a pan entirely.
None of this is essential beyond the slow cooker and one good skillet. A fork can turn the beef, any spoon can skim, and the stew will taste the same.
Scaling up or down
To halve the recipe, use 1 1/2 pounds of beef, 1 cup each of wine and broth, and half of everything else in a 4 quart slow cooker. Browning time drops to two batches. Cook time stays about the same.
To double it, you need an 8 quart slow cooker and about 45 minutes of browning. Keep the pot no more than two thirds full. Add roughly one hour on LOW for the larger mass.
As written, the recipe serves 6 generously, or 8 if you serve it over mashed potatoes or noodles.
What to serve with it
Buttery mashed potatoes, wide egg noodles or a simple crusty baguette are the classic bases. A green salad with a sharp vinaigrette balances the richness.
If you love a good braise, red wine braised short ribs and classic beef stew are close cousins. For another slow cooker beef dinner that feeds a crowd, slow cooker pot roast is the one to make next.
How to store, freeze and reheat
Refrigerator: Cool within 2 hours and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavor improves on day two.
Freezer: Beef bourguignon freezes very well for up to 3 months. Freeze in portions with plenty of sauce. Mushrooms soften slightly after freezing but the beef and sauce are unaffected.
Reheating: Warm gently in a covered pot over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until the beef reaches 165°F throughout. Add a splash of broth or water if the sauce has tightened. Thaw frozen stew overnight in the refrigerator first.
A fresh sprinkle of parsley and a pinch of salt bring reheated stew back to life.
Leftover ideas
Shred leftover beef into the sauce and spoon it over toasted bread for open faced sandwiches. Toss it with cooked pappardelle and a handful of Parmesan for a rich pasta.
It also makes an excellent filling for a pot pie. Spoon the stew into a baking dish, top with store bought puff pastry and bake at 400°F for 25 minutes until golden.
Nutrition notes
One serving of stew, about 1 1/2 cups without sides, lands roughly between 480 and 560 calories with 40 to 45 grams of protein. The range depends on how well trimmed the chuck is and how much bacon fat you leave in the pan.
Skimming the fat after chilling can remove 60 to 80 calories per serving. The wine contributes flavor but very little of its original alcohol remains after the long cook.
Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
Rich French red wine beef stew with bacon, mushrooms and pearl onions, browned on the stove and finished in the slow cooker until the beef falls apart.
Equipment
- 6 quart slow cooker
- 12 inch heavy skillet or Dutch oven
- Tongs
- Slotted spoon
Ingredients
For the stew
- 6 oz thick cut bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 3 lb boneless beef chuck roast, fully thawed, trimmed and cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 to 2 tbsp olive oil, as needed
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 cups dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
- 1 bay leaf
To finish
- 1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 lb cremini mushrooms, halved or quartered
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes until crisp. Transfer to a 6 quart slow cooker with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan.
- Pat the beef very dry and season with the salt and pepper. Raise the heat to medium high and brown the beef in three batches, about 3 minutes per side, adding oil if the pan is dry. Transfer each batch to the slow cooker.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and stir 1 minute more.
- Pour in the wine and bring to a boil, scraping the pan. Let it bubble for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the broth, thyme and bay leaf, then pour the mixture over the beef.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours or on HIGH for 4 1/2 to 5 hours, until the beef pulls apart easily with a fork. Do not lift the lid during cooking.
- One hour before the end, stir in the frozen pearl onions and replace the lid.
- In the last 20 minutes, melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and cook 4 minutes without stirring, then toss and cook 4 minutes more until browned. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Stir the mushrooms into the stew. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. For a thicker sauce, cook uncovered on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve over mashed potatoes or buttered noodles.
Notes
- Make ahead: Brown the beef and build the sauce the night before. Refrigerate together and pour into the slow cooker in the morning, adding about 30 minutes to the LOW time.
- Wine: Use a dry red you would drink. For an alcohol free version, use 2 more cups of beef broth plus 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar.
- Gluten free: Skip the flour. Stir a slurry of 2 tbsp cornstarch and 3 tbsp cold water into the finished stew and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently to 165°F with a splash of broth.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to brown the beef for slow cooker beef bourguignon?
You can skip it, but the stew will taste noticeably flatter. Browning builds the deep, savory crust that flavors the sauce. It takes about 15 minutes and is the most important step in the recipe.
What wine is best for beef bourguignon?
Pinot Noir is traditional. Any dry red you would drink works well, including Merlot, Côtes du Rhône or Cabernet Sauvignon. Avoid cooking wine, which is salty and thin.
Can I make beef bourguignon without wine?
Yes. Replace the wine with 2 more cups of beef broth and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. The stew will be less complex but still rich and delicious.
Why is my slow cooker beef still tough?
It needs more time. Chuck roast becomes tender only after its connective tissue melts, which can take the full 8 to 9 hours on LOW. Give it another hour and test again.
Can I add the mushrooms at the beginning?
It is better not to. Mushrooms cooked for 8 hours turn gray and spongy. Sauté them in butter until browned and stir them in during the last 20 minutes.
Can I use frozen beef in the slow cooker?
No. Thaw the beef completely first. Frozen meat spends too long in the unsafe temperature range before the slow cooker heats up, and it cannot be browned properly.
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