Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

The bacon should be crisp before it leaves the skillet, and the beef needs real color on more than one side. Those few minutes at the stove are what keep…

By Brad
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November 10, 2026
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Reading time: 9 min

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The bacon should be crisp before it leaves the skillet, and the beef needs real color on more than one side. Those few minutes at the stove are what keep slow cooker beef bourguignon from tasting like everything simply simmered together. I brown the meat in batches, then use the same skillet to build a wine-rich base that carries all those browned bits into the cooker.

This is a slow-cooked stew, but it isn’t a dump-everything-in-and-walk-away situation. Mushrooms and pearl onions go in later, so they have less time to soften while the beef turns fork-tender. A final butter-and-flour paste thickens the sauce without making a separate roux, and a short rest gives it time to settle into a glossy, hearty stew.

Why This Bourguignon Needs the Skillet Before the Slow Cooker

A slow cooker is excellent at turning chuck into tender stew, but it won’t brown meat or concentrate the flavors in the same way a hot skillet does. When beef goes straight into the cooker, it cooks through in its own juices and the finished dish can taste flatter. Browning each batch first gives the beef a deep, savory exterior that holds up through the long cook.

The skillet also lets you build flavor in stages without dirtying another pan. Onion and carrots soften in the bacon drippings, then garlic and tomato paste get a brief turn in the heat before the wine and broth go in. Scraping the skillet as the liquid simmers lifts the browned bits into the base instead of leaving them behind. That’s the difference between a sauce that tastes like wine poured over beef and one that tastes rounded and deeply savory.

It takes a little active time up front, but those steps do the work a slow cooker can’t do on its own. Once the skillet mixture reaches the cooker, the long, gentle heat takes over.

What the Beef, Wine, and Mushrooms Bring to the Pot

• Beef chuck — Chuck has enough connective tissue to become tender during a long, moist cook. Choose boneless chuck and cut it into evenly sized pieces so they cook at a similar pace; leaner cuts don’t give the sauce the same body.
• Thick-cut bacon — Bacon brings smoke and savory richness, while its drippings give the beef and vegetables a flavorful surface for browning. Thick-cut pieces stay substantial as they crisp. If you’re choosing between brands, fresh bacon matters more than a particular label.
• Dry red wine — A dry red such as Pinot Noir gives the sauce acidity and depth. Use a wine you’d be comfortable drinking; a very sweet red would shift the stew toward a sweeter, less balanced flavor.
• Cremini mushrooms and frozen pearl onions — Cremini mushrooms bring an earthy note, while the small onions add sweetness and hold their shape as distinct bites. Halve or quarter larger mushrooms so the pieces are closer in size. Frozen pearl onions save the peeling work and go straight into the cooker from frozen.
• Tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves — Tomato paste adds concentrated savory depth, and the dried herbs give the wine-based sauce its familiar stew aroma. The bay leaves need to be removed before serving; they season the pot but aren’t meant to be eaten.
• Butter and all-purpose flour — Together they form a smooth paste that thickens the finished cooking liquid. Softened butter makes it easier to mash the flour in without dry pockets, so take a moment to work it smooth before adding it.

Build the Skillet Base, Then Let the Slow Cooker Tenderize the Beef

Crisp the Bacon and Brown the Chuck

Cook the chopped bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes, then transfer it to a 6-quart slow cooker and leave the drippings behind. Add the olive oil to the skillet. Pat the beef dry, season it with kosher salt and black pepper, and brown it in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side; crowding the pan makes the beef steam instead of color. Move each batch to the cooker as it browns.

Soften the Vegetables and Simmer the Wine

Add the diced yellow onion and carrot chunks to the skillet and stir until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, then cook for 1 minute; the paste should look darker and smell savory, not scorched. Pour in the red wine and beef broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the browned bits. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Cook the Beef Before Adding the Mushrooms

Pour the skillet mixture into the slow cooker, then stir in the dried thyme and bay leaves. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Stir in the mushrooms and frozen pearl onions, cover again, and cook on LOW for 1 1/2 hours or on HIGH for 1 hour. The beef should be fork-tender, and the mushrooms should be tender rather than collapsed.

Thicken the Sauce Until It Clings

Remove the bay leaves before thickening. In a small bowl, mash the softened butter and flour into a smooth paste, then stir it into the slow cooker. Cook uncovered on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes, until the sauce thickens and lightly coats a spoon. If the paste is lumpy before it goes in, keep mashing it smooth in the bowl; flour pockets are harder to work out once they’re in the stew.

Three Practical Ways to Adapt This Beef Bourguignon

Questions That Come Up When Making Slow Cooker Bourguignon

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

Slow cooker beef bourguignon is a French-inspired stew with browned beef chuck, bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions in a rich red wine sauce. The slow cooker makes the beef fork-tender, while a butter-and-flour paste thickens the sauce before serving.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

standing time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 9 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: French

Calories: 740

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 oz bacon thick-cut, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 lb beef chuck boneless, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 yellow onion large, diced
• 2 carrots medium, cut into chunks
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups red wine dry, such as Pinot Noir
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tsp thyme dried
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 lb cremini mushrooms halved or quartered if large
• 1 bag (12 oz) pearl onions frozen
• 2 tbsp butter unsalted, softened
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

Equipment

• 1 12-inch skillet
• 1 6-quart slow cooker

Method

 

1. Cook the bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer it to a 6-quart slow cooker, leaving the drippings in the skillet.
2. Add the olive oil to the skillet.
3. Pat the beef dry and season it with the salt and pepper.
4. Brown the beef in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side, then transfer each batch to the slow cooker.
5. Add the yellow onion and carrots to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
6. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
7. Pour in the red wine and beef broth, scraping up the browned bits, and bring to a simmer.
8. Cook the skillet mixture at a simmer for 5 minutes.
9. Pour the skillet mixture into the slow cooker and stir in the dried thyme and bay leaves.
10. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
11. Stir in the mushrooms and frozen pearl onions.
12. Cover and continue cooking on LOW for 1 1/2 hours or HIGH for 1 hour, until the beef is fork-tender and the mushrooms are tender.
13. Remove the bay leaves.
14. In a small bowl, mash the softened butter and flour into a smooth paste.
15. Stir the paste into the slow cooker and cook uncovered on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
16. Turn off the slow cooker and let the stew stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For the best flavor, brown the beef in batches so it sears rather than steams. Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days; freezing is suitable. For a gluten-free option, replace the all-purpose flour with cornstarch mixed with cold water to make a slurry.