The Best Crockpot Beef Bourguignon

There is something undeniably magical about a recipe that can instantly transport you back in time. For me, this Crockpot Beef Bourguignon is exactly that kind of meal. It is actually one of the very first slow cooker recipes I remember making entirely on my own. My mom passed this gem down to me, and I started whipping it up when I bought my first home over a decade ago. Back then, it was just me and my husband. We were constantly working, we didn’t have kids yet, and we had plenty of time to experiment in the kitchen on our days off.

Life looks incredibly different for us these days, but this comforting, rich stew has stuck around through every season of life. It is one of those full-circle meals I find myself coming back to year after year, especially when the weather turns chilly. Honestly, I cannot believe it has taken me this long to finally share it with you! If you are looking for a dinner that smells like pure heaven simmering away while you go about your day, you have found it. Let’s dive into making your kitchen smell amazing.

What Is Crockpot Beef Bourguignon?

If you have ever heard of traditional Beef Bourguignon, you probably picture a fancy French kitchen, Julia Child, and a dish that takes an entire weekend to conquer. At its core, Beef Bourguignon is simply a hearty French beef stew braised in red wine (traditionally Burgundy) and beef broth, flavored with garlic, pearl onions, and mushrooms. It is rustic, elegant, and deeply savory.

But let’s be real, most of us do not have the time to babysit a pot on the stove all afternoon. That is where this Crockpot Beef Bourguignon comes to the rescue. We are taking all those classic, complex French flavors and adapting them for the modern, busy home cook. By utilizing the slow cooker, the beef chuck has hours to break down until it literally melts in your mouth, while the wine and broth reduce into a glossy, velvety sauce. You get all the bragging rights of making a gourmet French stew, but the slow cooker does the heavy lifting for you. It is fancy enough for a dinner party, yet easy enough for a random Tuesday.

How to Make Crockpot Beef Bourguignon

Quick Overview

Making this dish comes down to a few simple phases: crisping the bacon, searing the beef, assembling the crockpot, and letting time do its thing. You will spend about 20 minutes of active, hands-on time at the stove. After that, the slow cooker takes over for 6 to 8 hours on the low setting. The key here is patience. Low and slow is the secret to getting that beef chuck to a fork-tender consistency without drying it out.

Ingredients

Here is everything you will need to grab from the store to make this comforting classic. Do not let the list intimidate you; most of these are simple pantry staples!

• Bacon: Thick-cut works best here. It adds a smoky, salty richness that builds the base flavor of the whole stew.
• Beef chuck: This is the absolute classic choice for slow cooking. It turns melt-in-your-mouth tender after hours in the crockpot. You’ll need about 3.5 pounds, cut into 2-inch chunks.
• Baby potatoes: Hearty and perfect for soaking up all that wine-infused sauce. Just halve them!
• Carrots & Onions: The backbone of any good stew. Carrots add a touch of sweetness, while a large chopped onion gives incredible depth.
• Pearl onions: These add a little extra touch of sweetness and a great texture. Peeling them can be tedious, so feel free to buy frozen peeled ones to save time!
• Mushrooms: Earthy and meaty, they round out the dish beautifully.
• Garlic: Fresh minced cloves for that unmistakable punch of flavor.
• Dry red wine: The heart of a bourguignon! Use something you would actually drink, like a Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir.
• Beef broth: Keeps things saucy and savory while tying the wine and beef flavors together.
• Cornstarch & Tomato paste: Cornstarch helps thicken the sauce so it is glossy and velvety, while tomato paste adds a subtle acidity and richness.
• Worcestershire sauce: A secret weapon for umami and complexity.
• Fresh herbs: Fresh thyme, rosemary, and a bay leaf bring an herby, fresh note that cuts through the richness of the beef.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Crisp the Bacon

Start by crisping up your chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it is nice and golden brown, use a slotted spoon to scoop it out into a bowl and set it aside for later. Try your hardest not to eat it all while you cook the rest of the meal. I am very guilty of snacking on it!

Step 2: Sear the Beef

While the bacon is sizzling away, make sure your chuck roast is cut into hearty 2-inch chunks. In that same skillet, right in all that glorious leftover bacon grease, sear the beef in batches. You want to cook them for about 3 to 5 minutes per side until they are beautifully browned. Do not crowd the pan, or the meat will steam instead of sear. Once browned, transfer the beef straight into your crockpot.

Step 3: Layer the Vegetables

Now, add your halved baby potatoes, chopped carrots, chopped onion, peeled pearl onions, minced garlic, and sliced mushrooms right on top of the beef in the crockpot. Layering the veggies on top helps everything cook evenly.

Step 4: Whisk the Sauce

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry red wine, beef broth, cornstarch, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce until the cornstarch is completely dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Pour this rich liquid right over the beef and veggies in your slow cooker.

Step 5: Add Herbs and Slow Cook

Tuck your sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary, and the bay leaf into the liquid. Put the cover on your crockpot and set it to cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. You will know it is done when the beef is fall-apart tender and your kitchen smells like pure comfort.

What to Serve It With

If you included the baby potatoes in the crockpot, this is honestly a complete meal on its own! I love serving it in deep, cozy bowls with a generous sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley over the top. You absolutely must have plenty of crusty French bread or a warm baguette on the side. You are going to want something to mop up every last drop of that glossy, wine-infused gravy.

If you want to switch things up, you can easily leave the potatoes out of the slow cooker. Instead, ladle the rich beef and mushroom stew over a mountain of creamy garlic mashed potatoes, buttery egg noodles, or even a bowl of creamy parmesan polenta. The contrast of the savory stew over a creamy carb is pure comfort food heaven.

Top Tips for Perfecting Your Crockpot Beef Bourguignon

Over the years of making this, I have picked up a few tricks to make sure it comes out flawless every single time.

• Do not skip the sear: I know it is tempting to just dump raw meat into the slow cooker to save time, but searing the beef is worth the extra step. Browning the meat first locks in flavor and gives the finished sauce a incredibly deep, rich base.
• Use a good dry red wine: You do not need to break the bank, but pick a wine you would actually enjoy drinking in a glass. Think Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Pinot Noir. Absolutely skip anything labeled “cooking wine” from the grocery store aisle—it is full of sodium and lacks real flavor.
• Layering matters: Always place the seared beef on the bottom of the crockpot, closest to the heat source, and pile the veggies on top. This ensures the meat gets tender and the vegetables do not turn to total mush.
• Do not rush the process: Low and slow is the golden rule here. Give it the full 6 to 8 hours on the low setting so the tough connective tissues in the beef chuck can break down and turn fork-tender.
• Taste and adjust at the end: Before serving, fish out the herb stems and bay leaf, then give the sauce a quick taste. Sometimes a tiny pinch of salt or a small splash of red wine vinegar right at the end can brighten up the flavors beautifully.

Storing and Reheating Tips

Like most stews, this Crockpot Beef Bourguignon honestly tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had more time to mingle! If you have leftovers, let the stew cool down to room temperature. Then, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.

When you are ready for round two, the best way to reheat it is gently on the stovetop. Pour the leftovers into a pot or Dutch oven and warm it over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until everything is heated through and the sauce becomes nice and glossy again. If the sauce thickened up too much in the fridge, just stir in a tiny splash of beef broth or water to loosen it up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Crockpot Beef Bourguignon is genuinely one of those rare meals that feels incredibly special but doesn’t ask much of you. It just requires a little bit of prep work at the stove and a whole lot of patience while the slow cooker works its magic. By the time dinner rolls around, you are rewarded with insanely tender beef, a rich, savory wine sauce, and that unmistakable slow-cooked comfort that makes cold winter dinners absolutely worth looking forward to.

I really hope you love this family favorite as much as me and my husband do. It holds a lot of wonderful memories for me, and I hope it creates some great ones around your dinner table, too. Once you have made it, please pop your thoughts in the comment section below! It means the world to me to hear your feedback, and it helps me continue to develop more cozy, easy recipes that you will enjoy making.

Crockpot Beef Bourguignon

This Crockpot Beef Bourguignon turns a French classic into an easy, slow-cooked comfort meal. Tender chunks of beef simmer all day with red wine, bacon, and hearty vegetables until everything melts together into a rich, savory sauce. It’s cozy, flavorful, and the kind of dinner that makes a cold night feel instantly better — all with minimal hands-on time.

Prep : 10 Total : 25 minutes

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Ingredients

  

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Main Ingredients

• 6 slices thick-cut bacon chopped
• 3.5 lbs boneless beef chuck
• 1.5 lb baby potatoes halved
• 3 large carrots chopped
• 1 large onion chopped
• 8 oz white pearl onions peeled
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 2 cups beef broth
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 bay leaf

Instructions

 

Preparation Steps

• Start by crisping up the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s nice and golden, use a slotted spoon to scoop it into a bowl and set it aside for later.
• While the bacon’s sizzling away, cut your chuck roast into hearty 2-inch chunks.
• In that same skillet, sear the beef in batches for 3–5 minutes per side until beautifully browned. Transfer the seared pieces straight into your crockpot.
• Add the baby potatoes, carrots, onions, pearl onions, garlic, and mushrooms to the crockpot.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the red wine, beef broth, cornstarch, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour that mixture over the beef and veggies, then tuck in sprigs of thyme, rosemary, and a bay leaf.
• Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender and your kitchen smells like pure comfort.