Slow-Cooked Beef Burgundy

Use your slow cooker to make this company-worthy Beef Burgundy. A little bacon, garlic, and onion turns an inexpensive piece of meat into a crowd pleaser. Serve over mashed potatoes or buttered noodles.

Ingredients:

1 (5-pound) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch chunks
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 ounces bacon (about 4 slices), minced
3 onions, minced
1 carrot, peeled and minced
¼ cup tomato paste
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2½ cups Pinot Noir
1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus extra as needed
⅓ cup soy sauce
2 bay leaves
2 cups frozen pearl onions
½ cup water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons sugar
1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and halved if small or quartered if large

Directions:

1. Dry beef with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Place half of beef in slow cooker. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown remaining beef well on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes; transfer to slow cooker.

2. Cook bacon in skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Stir in onions, carrot, tomato paste, garlic, and thyme and cook until onions are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in 1¼ cups wine, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps; transfer to slow cooker.

3. Stir broth, soy sauce, and bay leaves into slow cooker. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 9 to 11 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high.

4. About 20 minutes before serving, bring frozen pearl onions, water, butter, and sugar to boil in 12-inch skillet. Reduce to simmer, cover, and cook until onions are fully thawed and tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Uncover, bring to a boil, and cook until all liquid evaporates, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and cook until vegetables are browned and glazed, 8 to 12 minutes; transfer to slow cooker.

5. Add remaining 1¼ cups wine to skillet and simmer until it has reduced by half, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Let stew settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using large spoon. Discard bay leaves. (Adjust stew consistency with additional hot broth as needed.) Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.