Beef Bourguignon
Seared beef chuck slow-cooked for hours in a rich red wine and beef broth braise with sweet carrots, onion, and crumbled bacon. A deeply comforting French classic that practically cooks itself.
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- 2 ½ lb beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lb large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, cut into large pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 bottle (750 ml) good-quality dry red wine (such as Pinot Noir)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 6 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
- Fresh thyme leaves, if desired
- Heat the oil in a 7-quart Dutch oven or large stockpot over high heat. Pat the beef cubes thoroughly dry with paper towels — moisture on the surface is the enemy of a good sear — then season generously with the salt and pepper. Working in batches so you don't overcrowd the pot, add the beef and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, turning to sear all sides until deeply browned. Overcrowding the pot at this stage will steam the meat instead of browning it, so be patient and do it in stages. Transfer the seared beef to a plate as each batch finishes.
- Add the carrots and onion to the same pot and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until they're lightly browned and just beginning to soften, scraping up the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot as you stir — those caramelized bits carry a huge amount of flavour that would otherwise be left behind. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute longer, stirring frequently so it doesn't catch and burn. Pour in the red wine, beef broth, and thyme, stirring until everything is well combined and any remaining browned bits have been fully incorporated.
- Transfer the wine and broth mixture to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, then add the seared beef and crumbled bacon, nestling everything down into the liquid. Cover and cook on the Low setting for about 8 hours, or on High for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is meltingly tender and falls apart easily with a fork. Spoon the finished bourguignon into bowls and garnish with fresh thyme leaves, if desired, before serving.
Chef's Note: This version of beef bourguignon trades the classic stovetop braise for a slow cooker, but it doesn't skip the technique that actually matters most — a hard, patient sear on the beef before anything else happens. That initial browning, along with scraping up the fond left behind in the pot, is where the deep, savoury backbone of this dish comes from; skipping it in favour of just dumping everything in the slow cooker raw will leave you with a noticeably flatter result.
This recipe is exceptionally freezer-friendly: simply prepare through the searing and sautéing steps, then freeze the beef and the wine-broth-bacon mixture separately in sealed freezer bags laid flat. Thaw overnight in the fridge before transferring everything to the slow cooker, and you've got a full day's head start on dinner. A good quality, drinkable Pinot Noir is worth the investment here — since the wine reduces and concentrates over the long cook, its flavour ends up doing a lot of the heavy lifting in the final sauce.
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