When bacon starts to crisp in the skillet, the kitchen smells like the beginning of a long, rich braise. This Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon Stew with Mushrooms builds that flavor in stages before the slow cooker takes over: bacon first, then browned beef, then vegetables and wine lifted through all the browned bits left in the pan. It’s a little hands-on at the start, but those minutes give the stew a depth you won’t get by putting everything in the cooker at once.
I like the way the beef turns tender while the carrots and pearl onions hold their shape, and the mushrooms stay substantial because they join the pot later. A dry red wine simmers briefly in the skillet, then goes into the slow cooker with beef broth, thyme, and bay leaves. The result is a dark, savory gravy that clings to the beef without masking the mushrooms. Give the stew its full cooking time, and the last bowl is just as cozy as the first.
Kitchen Note
Brown the beef in batches rather than crowding it into the skillet. Turning the pieces onto several sides takes a little attention, but it gives the stew those browned edges that make the finished gravy taste deep instead of flat.
Save this slow cooker beef bourguignon for a day when you want tender beef, browned mushrooms, and a wine-rich gravy waiting at the end.
Why the Mushrooms Wait Until the Beef Is Nearly Tender
The mushrooms get their own turn in the skillet, but they don’t go into the slow cooker at the beginning. They’re browned first, then held aside while the beef and vegetables cook. That later addition is deliberate: mushrooms cooked through the entire slow-cooker cycle can lose their bite and become soft enough to disappear into the gravy. Adding them near the end gives them time to take on the stew’s flavor while keeping their shape.
It also lets you brown the mushrooms in a hot skillet instead of asking them to cook down in the slow cooker’s moist environment. You’re looking for browned surfaces, not just mushrooms that have warmed through. Once they’re back in the pot, they cook alongside the beef for a shorter final stretch. The beef has nearly reached fork-tenderness by then, so the mushrooms finish without having to endure the full cooking window.
What Gives the Gravy Its Bourguignon Depth
- Beef chuck — Its connective tissue softens during the slow cook, giving you tender pieces and a fuller-bodied stew. Choose chuck cut into even cubes so the pieces cook at a similar pace; a leaner cut won’t give quite the same braised texture.
- Bacon and vegetable oil — The bacon leaves savory drippings for browning the beef, while the divided oil keeps the later skillet stages moving. An everyday vegetable oil works well here; there’s no need for a specialty oil.
- Cremini mushrooms and pearl onions — Cremini bring an earthy, meaty texture, and thawed frozen pearl onions save the work of peeling small onions. Thaw the onions before they go into the skillet so they can cook with the carrots and garlic as intended.
- Dry red wine, beef broth, and tomato paste — The wine deglazes the skillet and carries its browned bits into the slow cooker; broth supplies the savory liquid, while tomato paste deepens the base. A reasonably priced dry red wine is enough for cooking. The tomato paste gets a brief cook in the skillet before the wine goes in.
- Thyme, bay leaves, and flour — Fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaves infuse the stew as it cooks, then come out before serving. Whisking the flour with cold water first makes a smooth slurry that thickens the gravy during the final covered cook.
Building the Stew in the Skillet Before It Goes Low and Slow
Render the Bacon and Brown the Beef
Cook the diced bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Transfer it to a 6-quart slow cooker and leave the drippings in the skillet. Season the beef with kosher salt and black pepper, add oil, and brown the cubes in batches, turning them to color several sides; each batch takes about 8 minutes. Move the browned beef into the cooker as each batch finishes.
Brown the Mushrooms, Then Soften the Vegetables
Add oil to the skillet and cook the quartered mushrooms for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Transfer them to a plate for later. Add the remaining oil with the thawed pearl onions, carrots, and minced garlic, and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the tomato paste and let it cook for 1 minute; it should coat the vegetables and smell deeper, not raw.
Deglaze and Start the Slow Cook
Pour the dry red wine into the skillet and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom as it simmers for 3 to 4 minutes. Pour that mixture into the slow cooker, then stir in the beef broth, fresh thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the beef is nearly fork-tender. Keep the mushrooms out during this first stretch.
Add the Mushrooms and Thicken the Gravy
Stir the browned mushrooms into the cooker, cover, and cook on LOW for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or HIGH for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The beef should be fork-tender and reach at least 145°F. Whisk the flour and cold water in a small bowl until smooth, stir the slurry into the stew, then cover and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes, until the gravy thickens. Turn off the cooker, rest the stew for 10 minutes, and remove the thyme stems and bay leaves before serving.
Three Small Changes That Make a Different Pot
Leave Out the Bacon
For a bacon-free pot, omit the bacon and use the vegetable oil for browning the beef and cooking the vegetables. You’ll lose the smoky, salty base that bacon drippings bring, but the wine, beef, mushrooms, and tomato paste still make a full-flavored stew.
Make It Without Mushrooms
Skip the mushrooms and follow the remaining method as written. The stew will have less earthy richness and a more straightforward beef-and-onion character, while the carrots and pearl onions still give each spoonful texture.
Keep the Gravy Brothier
For a looser finish, leave out the flour-and-water slurry. The liquid won’t thicken into the same gravy, but the beef and vegetables will still be coated in the wine-and-broth cooking liquid.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for 3 to 4 days. The gravy will thicken as it chills, and the beef may feel firmer when cold.
- Freezer: Freeze cooled portions in airtight freezer-safe containers for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for more even reheating.
- Reheating: Warm gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, or heat covered portions in the microwave and stir partway through. Reheat leftovers to 165°F; avoid a hard boil, which can make the beef seem dry and break down the vegetables.
Questions That Come Up While the Stew Cooks
Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon Stew with Mushrooms
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp.
- Transfer the bacon to a 6-quart slow cooker, leaving the drippings in the skillet.
- Season the beef with the kosher salt and black pepper.
- Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet and brown the beef in batches, turning to brown several sides, about 8 minutes per batch; transfer each batch to the slow cooker.
- Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet and cook the mushrooms for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned; transfer them to a plate to add later.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, pearl onions, carrots, and garlic to the skillet and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the wine, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into the slow cooker, then stir in the beef broth, thyme, and bay leaves.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the beef is nearly fork-tender.
- Stir in the browned mushrooms.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or HIGH for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the beef is fork-tender and has reached at least 145°F.
- Whisk the flour and cold water in a small bowl until smooth, then stir the mixture into the stew.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes, until the gravy thickens.
- Turn off the slow cooker and let the stew rest for 10 minutes.
- Remove and discard the thyme stems and bay leaves before serving.
