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Perfect Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon for Date Night

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A rich, tender beef stew made in a slow cooker with red wine, mushrooms, and pearl onions. This comforting dish is designed for intimate date nights, offering restaurant-quality flavor with minimal active effort.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 to 4 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or cornstarch for gluten-free)
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as avocado or vegetable oil)
  • 2 medium yellow onions, diced
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 12 to 15 pearl onions, peeled
  • 8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, quartered
  • 1 bottle (750ml) dry red wine (Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon)
  • 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Pat beef cubes dry and toss with flour, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
  2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear beef in batches for 2-3 minutes per side until browned. Transfer to slow cooker.
  3. In the same skillet, sauté diced onions and carrots for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add red wine and beef broth, scraping up browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes.
  5. Pour the wine mixture over the beef in the slow cooker. Add pearl onions, mushrooms, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves.
  6. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until beef is fork-tender.
  7. Remove thyme and bay leaves. If sauce is thin, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water and stir in. Cook on high for 15 minutes to thicken.
  8. Stir in butter just before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

Do not skip the searing step as it adds depth of flavor. If the sauce is too thin, use a cornstarch slurry to thicken it. For a gluten-free version, substitute flour with cornstarch. For a dairy-free version, omit the finishing butter.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker, beef bourguignon, date night dinner, comfort food, red wine stew, chuck roast, easy dinner

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