{recipe} Slow Cooker Beef Burgundy Stew

I love a rich, warm, beefy stew that’s been cooked all day. Wouldn’t it be great to spend the day recreating Julia Child’s famous Boeuf Bourgignon recipe? Sadly, I have neither the time nor the interest in taking that on at the moment. So here, I’ve done some experimentation to make a beef burgundy stew in the crockpot.

Somehow it feels unfair to be able to make such a fantastic dinner with so little effort.

The only thing you really have to do, other than set up your crockpot and wait, is saute the mushrooms and brown the meat. Yes, I realize this constitutes a small amount of work. I think the additional steps are both necessary and worth it. No one will believe you made this in a crockpot!

RECIPE: Slow Cooker Beef Burgundy Stew
serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tblsp butter
• 8 oz. sliced crimini or baby bella mushrooms
• 1 Tblsp olive oil
• 2 lbs lean beef stew meat
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups red wine
• 1 cup beef broth
• 6 oz can tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 carrots, peeled, quartered, and cut into 2 inch sticks
• 4 shallots, minced
• 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

METHOD:

• Heat butter in a large saute pan. Add mushrooms and saute to brown, about 8-10 minutes. Scrape mushrooms into slow cooker.
• In the same pan, add 1 Tblsp olive oil. Dredge stew meat in flour and season with salt and pepper to taste. Brown meat on all sides. Add to slow cooker.
• Add all remaining ingredients to slow cooker and stir to combine.
• Cook 6 hours on low. Serve with crusty bread or egg noodles.