Name: Slow Cooker Burgundy Beef Stew
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 1 cup stew meat; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon salt, divided; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided; 1/3 cup pinot noir or other red wine; 1 cup frozen pearl onions; 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces; 3/4 cup beef broth; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 bay leaf (optional)

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Easy, quick and rich, this Slow Cooker Burgundy Beef Stew is perfect for cold winter nights.

It began as an idea — a stew lightly flavored with wine that could be made easily in the morning and served over mashed potatoes, noodles or alone. I’ve made many stews before, but this one is different. It’s rich and lovely, but also lighter without the potatoes. Sure, you can make it heavy with your serving choices, but it doesn’t have to be.

And the flavor — the flavor! That’s the part that won over a friend who tried a bite and couldn’t stop.

I’ve been making this stew on cold weekend days when its warmth helps most. Do you know the days I am talking about? When the cold is so chilling it seeps into the house and seems to wrap itself around your bones? This stew is the antidote. And it’s so easy to make. Brown the bacon, and then the stew beef. Through that into the slow cooker. Deglaze the pan with wine. Add that to the slow cooker along with the remainder of the ingredients. Stir well and then cook on low for 8 hours.

It doesn’t get much easier.

This Burgundy Beef Stew is the kind of dish you make as a surprise for that special someone — rich and perfect. And what do you know? It’s the perfect time of year for that too.

Yield: 4 servings

Slow Cooker Burgundy Beef Stew

This rich beef stew is potato-free but absolutely full of flavor.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup stew meat
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
1/3 cup pinot noir or other red wine
1 cup frozen pearl onions
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
3/4 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf (optional)

Instructions

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to the slow cooker.

In a large bowl, stir together the stew meat, flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper. Add to the bacon fat in the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until browned. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker along with the pearl onions and carrots.

Add the wine to the skillet and stir vigorously to scrape up all the bits on the bottom. Pour into the slow cooker. Add the beef broth and tomato paste as well as the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon of thyme and three cloves of garlic. Stir well. Add the bay leaf, if desired.

Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 8 hours. Serve alone or over mashed potatoes or noodles.