Beef Burgundy

Hailing from the Burgundy region of France, this Beef Burgundy recipe is a flavorful blend of tender beef, aromatic herbs, and the richness of red wine. Slow-cooked to perfection, this classic dish brings the heart of French cuisine to your own kitchen!

Looking for a classic beef burgundy recipe?

This slow cooker beef bourguignon is the more laid-back version than others, making it perfect for busy weeknights.

Using the crock pot to make this beef bourguignon recipe is perfect because the slow cooking process over low heat allows the tough connective tissue in the meat to break down, leaving you with fall-apart tender chunks of beef, like our slow cooker garlic braised brisket. As the beef cooks with the vegetables and broth, a rich red wine gravy forms, resulting in classic beef bourguignon the whole family will love. 

What Is Beef Burgundy?

Beef Burgundy, aka Beef Bourguignon, originated from the Burgundy region of France. It’s a classic French dish with deep historical roots. Initially a practical meal for farmers using tougher cuts of beef, it gained widespread recognition through Julia Child’s influential cookbook in the 1960s. Like our short ribs and red wine sauce, this simple beef stew is renowned for its rich flavor, achieved by slow-cooking beef with red wine. Julia Child’s detailed instructions made Beef Bourguignon a favorite among American home cooks, and its rich, savory profile with aromatic ingredients has made it a timeless and celebrated dish, representing the essence of Burgundian culinary tradition.

Why you’ll love this recipe

If you’re a fan of rich flavors and tender meat, you’ll love a Beef Burgundy recipe. It’s a perfect choice for a cozy family dinner, a special occasion like Christmas dinner, or a dinner party. 

Ingredients

• Boneless beef chuck roast: Chuck roast is nice and fatty, providing this dish with a ton of flavor. 
• Salt and Pepper
• Vegetable oil: Used for searing the beef. You can also use olive oil if you like. 
• Bacon: Adds smoky flavor. 
• Onions: Add sweetness and depth to the flavor profile.
• Carrot: Enhance sweetness and contribute a subtle earthiness.
• Tomato paste
• Garlic Cloves: Infuse a savory aroma and flavor.
• Fresh Thyme: Imparts herbal notes, elevating the overall taste.
• All-purpose flour: Used to thicken the gravy. 
• Pinot Noir: Light to medium-bodied dry red wine. This is the use for our rich red wine sauce. If you want to get super authentic, you can use red Burgundy wine. 
• Low-sodium chicken broth
• Soy sauce: Adds a hint of umami to our sauce. 
• Bay leaves
• Frozen pearl onions: Small onions that add a subtle sweetness. 
• Water
• Unsalted butter: Adds richness to the gravy.
• Sugar: Balances the acidity of the tomato paste and red wine
• Cremini mushrooms: Add a deep, earthy flavor and a meaty texture. 

How to Make Beef Burgundy 

Preparing the Beef

​Start by drying the beef with paper towels and seasoning it with salt and pepper. Place half of the beef in the slow cooker. In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until just smoking. Brown the remaining beef well on all sides for 7-10 minutes, then transfer it to the slow cooker.

Cooking the Aromatics

Now, cook bacon in the skillet until crisp, about 5 minutes. Stir in onions, carrots, tomato paste, garlic, and thyme. Cook until the onions are softened and lightly browned, approximately 8-10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for an additional 1 minute. Slowly whisk in 1 ¼ cups wine, scraping up any brown bits and ensuring a smooth mixture. Transfer this mixture to the slow cooker.

Adding Broth and Cooking the Beef

​Stir broth, soy sauce, and bay leaves into the slow cooker. Cover and cook until the beef is tender, either 9 to 11 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high.

Preparing Pearl Onions and Mushrooms

​About 20 minutes before serving, bring frozen pearl onions, water, butter, and sugar to a boil in a 12-inch skillet. Reduce to simmer, cover, and cook until onions are fully thawed and tender, approximately 5-8 minutes. Uncover, bring to a boil, and cook until all liquid evaporates in 3-4 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and cook until vegetables are browned and glazed, 8-12 minutes. Transfer this mixture to the slow cooker.

Finishing and Serving

​Add the remaining 1 ¼ cups wine to the skillet and simmer until it has reduced by half in 6-8 minutes. Transfer this to the slow cooker. Allow the stew to settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from the surface using a large spoon. Discard bay leaves. Adjust the stew consistency with additional hot broth as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Enjoy!

Expert Recipe Tips 

• Trim excess fat from the chuck roast, but leave enough for added richness.
• Work in batches when searing the beef. Adding too many chunks at once can cause the meat to steam instead of sear. 
• If you want an even deeper flavor profile, sear the beef in bacon fat instead of oil.

How to Store Leftovers & Reheat

Store leftover beef burgundy in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. 

To reheat:

1. Place a medium pot on the stove top on medium heat. 
2. Pop your leftover beef burgundy inside the pot (thawed or frozen).
3. Let it heat up until it’s warm. 

What to serve with Beef Burgundy

To keep things traditional, serve up your Beef Burgundy over mama’s mashed potatoes. If you’re not a mashed potato fan, serve your dish with a side of twice baked potatoes with bacon or mushroom and gruyere bread pudding for a fun twist. 

Recipe FAQs

More Slow Cooker Recipes

With its tender chunks of beef, aromatic herbs, and the richness of red wine, this dish captures the essence of hearty, soul-warming meals that bring people together around the table. If you try this recipe, please rate the recipe card and leave a comment down below to help out the next reader! 

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Burgundy Beef

from Slow Cooker Revolution

Ingredients:

• 1 5 lb boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 tbs vegetable oil
• 4 oz bacon (about 4 slices), minced
• 3 onions, minced
• 1 carrot, peeled and minced
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbs minced fresh thyme
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 1/2 cups Pinot Noir
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus additional as needed
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups frozen pearl onions*
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tbs unsalted butter
• 2 tbs sugar
• 1 lb cremini mushrooms, trimmed and halved if small or qurtered if large

Preparation:

Dry beef with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Place half of beef in slow cooker. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown remaining beef well on all sides, 7-10 minutes; transfer to slow cooker.

Cook bacon in skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes.  Stir in onions, carrot, tomato paste, garlic, and thyme and cook until onions are softened and lightly browned, 8 – 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in 1 1/4 cups wine, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps; transfer to slow cooker.

Stir broth, soy sauce, and bay leaves into slow cooker. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 9 to 11 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high.

About 20 minutes before serving, bring frozen pearl onions, water, butter, and sugar to boil in 12-inch skillet. Reduce to simmer, cover, and cook until onions are fully thawed and tender, 5 – 8 minutes. Uncover, bring to a boil, and cook until all liquid evaporates, 3 – 4 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and cook until vegetables are browned and glazed, 8 – 12 minutes; transfer to slow cooker.

Add remaining 1 1/4 cups wine to skillet and simmer until it has reduced by half 6 – 8 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Let stew settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using a large spoon. Discard bay leaves. (Adjust stew consistency with additional hot broth as needed.) Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

*totally forgot those little suckers.

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