RECIPE SLOW COOKER BEEF BOURGUIGNON (AKA BEEF STEW)

 
This Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon is a meal that is comforting, hearty & is slow cooked to perfection in a delicious sauce.  Add this to your dinner routines for the cold nights ahead and you will want to personally thank me!
The first time you make it , it may take a few extra minutes BUT I promise it is well worth the time/effort. I personally find that I like to cook it closer to the 9-10 hour mark on LOW, but if you are pushed for time 6-8 hours on HIGH is delicious too! My personal tip with this recipe is measure everything out the night before. Get all ingredients ready so in the morning before taking the kids to school or sometimes even before the sun ” wakes up” as my 2 year old says, prep this in 15 minutes, place everything in the slow cooker and leave ALL day!  
The trick to this beef bourguignon is cooking the bacon & THEN  pan searing the meat in the bacon drippings.  Pan searing helps make the edges crisp and the inside tender.  Plus it  seals in the flavor!

Another delicious MUST HAVE ingredient is the red wine. Most good beef stews  have red wine in them & this really helps to bring out the rich flavor in the sauce. Don’t worry though the alcohol  gets cooked out and I promise it is necessary in really bringing out this amazing flavor in the stew!

Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS:

• 
  5 slices bacon, finely chopped ( after cooked)

• 
  3 lbs. boneless beef chuck, cut to small pieces/ cubes ( brisket works too; healthier option)

• 
  1 cup red cooking wine ( Red Wine; use an open bottle from the night before…I DID!) 

• 
  2 cups chicken broth ( Low Sodium Chicken Broth)

• 
  ½ cup tomato sauce 

• 
  ¼ cup soy sauce

• 
  ¼ cup flour

• 
  2 tbsp molasses

• 
  3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 
  2 Tablespoons thyme, finely chopped

• 
  5 Medium Carrots, sliced 

• 
  1 pound baby potatoes (I used baby dutch potatoes)

• 
  8 ounce fresh mushrooms, sliced

• 
  fresh chopped parsley for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. 
   In a large skillet cook bacon over medium high heat until crisp. Finely chop & put bacon in slow cooker. Salt and pepper the beef and add to the skillet and sear on each side for 2-3 minutes. Cut into small pieces; Transfer beef to the slow cooker.

2. 
   Add the red wine to the skillet;  scraping down the brown bits on the side. Allow it to simmer and reduce and slowly add chicken broth, and tomato sauce, and soy sauce. Slowly whisk in the flour. Add the sauce to the slow cooker.

3. 
   Add garlic, thyme, carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms to the slow cooker. Give it a good stir and cook on low until beef is tender for 8-10 hours or high for 6-8. Garnish with fresh parley and serve with mashed potatoes if desired.

Recipe adapted from www.therecipecritic.com Tweaked for this Haute Mom Living