Beef Bourguignon

The Ingredients

• 3 lbs of beef chuck (stew meat)
• 6 strips of thick bacon
• 1 lb of mushroom
• 2 large golden potatoes
• 1 carrot
• 20 pearl onions
• 2 tbls of tomato paste
• 2 cups of red wine
• 1 cup of beef broth
• 1 onion
• 1 bay leaf (crumbled)
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 2 garlic cloves
• Salt
• Pepper
• Flour

The Recipe

1. If using a big piece of pot roast like I did you need to trim the fat and cut it into 1 inch pieces.  If using pre-cut meat then start with step 2.
2. Season the flour with salt and pepper then coat the meat pieces (This keeps the meat juicy)
3. Put pearl onions in really hot water to help remove the skin. 
4. Fry the bacon then remove it and cut into 1 inch pieces. Place in slow cooker.
5. Sear the meat in the bacon fat.  About 7 minutes.
6. Remove the meat and place it in the slow cooker (For 3 lbs of meat you'll need at least a 7qt slow cooker).
7. Pour about 1/4 cup of the wine into the hot pan and scrape the bottom of the pan to release all the flavors.  Pour into slow cooker straight from the pan.
8. Chop onions, potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms and put into slow cooker.
9. Remove skin from pearl onions and insert into slow cooker.
10. Mince the garlic and put it in the slow cooker along with the thyme, some salt, pepper, and bay leaf. 
11. Pour the wine and the beef broth.
12. Cook for 6 hours on high. 

The Experience

It was Valentine's Day and I wanted to make something special for my girls.  I cooked breakfast while I prepared the slow cooker!  That's what's awesome about the crock pot.  You are free to do other things!  I found this way tastier and healthier than the pot roast I made a couple of weeks ago.  The meat was leaner and I trimmed a lot of the fat.  The mushrooms tasted amazing!  I used to buy pre sliced mushrooms but now I will only buy the whole thing and slice them myself.  I left them a little bigger and the result was perfect.  Something else I tried for the first time was pearl onions!  They're sweet and very tasty!  The bourguignon was served with just rice which made it stand out a lot!  It's a very fulfilling meal and great the next day with some fresh rice or even in a hoagie like I had it today!  I loved preparing this dish and I'll be making it again soon!  If you are having guests over this is a perfect dish to serve.  Remember, Season Your Food!