Beef Bourguignon (Slow Cooker)

Beef Bourguignon and I are good friends. We go WAY back to high school. The first time I had it was at TASIS. Chefy made an amazing version of Beef Bourguignon. He served his with butter noodles instead of with potatoes.

This wasn't my favorite recipe. As odd as it sounds, the bacon was overwhelming. All day while it was in the slow cooker I swore I smelled Thyme. I don't typically use thyme cuz I'm not a fan, so I couldn't figure out what it was.

When I took my first taste about 4 hours into cooking to check for seasoning, it was there. Bacon. And not in a good way.

At any rate, this won't be a repeat for me. I have several other Beef Bourguignon recipes I've made. Pantry Goat will get most of this meal.

Beef Bourguignon (Slow Cooker) 
Recipe from Savorytooth.com

Photo from Savorytooth.com

Serves 6

1.5 - 2 pounds beef chuck roast cut into 3/4-inch cubes
5 strips bacon diced
1 small onion chopped
10 ounces cremini mushrooms quartered
2 carrots chopped
5 cloves garlic minced
3 bay leaves
3/4 c dry red wine
3/4 tsp xanthan gum (or corn starch) - JW Note: I didn't need either of these.
1 T tomato paste
1 tsp dried thyme - JW Note: Left this out. I'm not a fan of thyme
salt & pepper

JW Note: I had some baby Yukon gold potatoes left over from another recipe so I dropped those in as well.

Generously season beef chunks with salt and pepper, and set aside. Saute diced bacon and cook for about 5 minutes until crispy, stirring frequently. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate.

Add the beef to the pot in a single layer and cook for a few minutes to brown, then flip and repeat for the other side. Transfer to a plate when done.

Add onions and garlic. Cook for a few minutes to soften, stirring frequently. Add red wine and tomato paste, using a wooden spoon to briefly scrape up flavorful brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Stir to check that the tomato paste is dissolved.

Transfer the beef back to the slow cooker. Add mushrooms, carrots, and thyme, stirring together. Top with bay leaves. Cook at low 6 hours.

Uncover and turn up to high. Remove bay leaves. Evenly sprinkle xanthan gum over the pot and stir together. Let the stew boil for a minute to thicken while stirring. Serve into bowls and top with crispy bacon.