I asked my daughter-in-law Tiffany if she had any recipe requests for my blog; she said that she would like some things that could be prepared in the morning, placed in the crock pot, and then ignored all day. The zenith of a slow cooker is that moment when you walk into your house, famished from a day at work, and the intoxicating aroma of dinner wafts through the air. For a second, you understand why Esau sold his birthright to his brother, Jacob, for a pot of red stew. Perhaps Jacob had prepared an herbaceous, vegetable, goat soup, simmered in homemade red wine, a forerunner of the traditional French stew, boeuf à la Bourguignonne, also known as Beef Burgundy. In modern times, Julia Child has resurrected this dish for our American palate. The actual recipe is quite amazing, with layers of flavor built slowly over time. I think this version for the crock pot comes in a close second, and is wonderful for those days when you have available morning time, but no time before dinner. It is perfect for a cold, winter evening, and special enough for company. The only accessories required are crusty bread and red wine.
Crock Pot Beef Bourguignon
5 slices bacon, diced fine
3 lb. boneless chuck roast, cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 c. good red wine (cab, pinot noir, merlot, or a french blend)
1 1/2 c. chicken or beef broth
3 heaping tablespoons flour
2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
1 Tbsp. worchestershire sauce
1 lb. little red potatoes
6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into diagonal slices
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 bay leaves
small bunch of fresh thyme sprigs, tied together with kitchen twine (or 2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped; or if you are on a deserted island, 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves)
8 oz. fresh mushrooms (portabella or white), cleaned and sliced
Heat a large pan over medium heat; stir in the minced bacon and let fry until crispy brown. Remove with a slotted spoon. Meanwhile, prepare the meat. Wipe the roast with a paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible, to help get a good sear. Cube the meat, removing as much or as little fat as you desire. Generously season the beef on both sides with salt and pepper. Depending on how much fat is left from the bacon, you may not need to add any more. I only had a tablespoon, so I added a bit of olive oil to the skillet. Over medium high heat, sear the pieces of beef for several minutes on each side. The most important thing is not to crowd the pan; this will cause the meat to steam rather than sear. Brown the beef cubes in several batches, adding a bit more oil in between as needed. Remove the seared meat to a plate. Place the beef, along with the collected juices, into the crock pot. Prepare the vegetables; wash the potatoes, peel and slice the carrots, slice the onion, and mince the garlic. Clean the mushrooms by wiping the dirt off with a damp paper towel. (Never rinse mushrooms as they are like little sponges and will absorb the water). Remove the stems and slice the caps. You can add the mushrooms now, along with the other vegetables, or for a bit more pizzaz, brown them in butter and stir them in at the end, along with the bacon bits. Place the vegetables, along with the bay leaves and thyme, into the crock pot and gently stir with the beef.
Now back to the sauce. Heat the skillet left over from browning the beef, to medium high. Add a bit of wine to deglaze the pan, scraping to remove all those brown bits of flavor. Add the rest of the wine, a cup of the broth, and the tablespoon of worchestershire sauce. In a small bowl, make a slurry of the flour and half cup of broth, stirring until completely smooth. Very slowly, whisk this flour/broth mixture into the heating liquid. Whisk in the tomato paste. Continue whisking as it comes to a boil. Carefully pour the wine broth sauce over the meat and vegetables in the crock pot. The liquid should come about 2/3rd of the way up the sides. You can add a bit more broth if you think more is needed. Cook on the low setting for 8 hours, until the meat is falling-apart-tender.
If you have the time, save the mushrooms to add the last half hour of cooking. Melt a tablespoon of butter and a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté the sliced mushrooms for 10 minutes or so, over medium heat, until they are golden brown and tender. A few minutes before serving, stir the mushrooms and the reserved bacon bits into the beef bourguignon. Taste the broth and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve in bowls and garnish with chopped, Italian, flat leaf parsley. Makes 4-6 servings.
If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, they will taste even better the next day.
Dear friends and family who were kind enough to help eat all that beef bourguignon! Even little Luca loved it.