Beef Bourguignon for Your Crockpot!

I wanted to make the real deal meal, but due to lack of time and a dutch oven, this is what I made up. It was SO GOOD!!!

Read the entire directions and have fun!

Made simple-ish for the crock pot

INGREDIENTS:

3 medium russet potatoes

3 medium carrots

8 white or brown mushrooms, cleaned and cut into quarters

1 large yellow or white onion, chopped medium fine

1 clove of garlic, chopped fine

1 teaspoon of fresh thyme (1/2 teaspoon dried)

4 tablespoons of butter

½ cup flour

2 cups red wine (Chianti is best for this dish)

3-4 cups of stock (veg, chick, or beef)

½ package of regular bacon

1 pound of lean beef, cut into 1 inch cubes, dried with paper towels

Salt and Pepper to taste
Fresh parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Peel and chop potatoes into 1 inch cubes.

Peel and chop carrots into bite-sized pieces cut on the diagonal.

Place potatoes and carrots into the crock pot

Add thyme to pot.

Chop bacon into little pieces.

Fry in dutch oven or regular pan

Remove crispy bits of bacon, add to pot, leave fat in pan

Add cubed meat, don’t crowd. Fry on all sides until browned.

Remove meat, add to pot, leave fat in pan.

Add onions, when they are translucent add garlic.

Fry until onions and garlic until just starting to brown.

Remove onions and garlic, add to pot, discard all remaining bacon fat.

Add wine to all of the cooked ingredients in the crock pot with veggies and thyme.

Cover with enough stock until everything is just covered.

Stir in tomato paste.

Cover and store until ready to cook. (You can prep this up to two days in advance.)

Cook on low for at least half of the time and high to finish. (Minimum of 6 hours, ideal, 9 hours.)

When you’re 30 minutes from serving:

Saute mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter, don’t crowd.

Add mushrooms to pot.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in pan, add flour.

Cook butter and flour to make a roux until browned to your preference. (about 3-5 minutes.)

Add 2 cups of juices from the pot to the roux, stir well until thick.

Add thickened sauce to pot and stir well.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with chopped parsley