HaleyHappy Labor Day! We’re back from the beach and I’m slowly getting my house in order and finding our way back to a normal routine. Today, we’re celebrating Labor Day with an all-American cookout, so I’m busy prepping casseroles and meat for the grill. In the meantime, I thought I’d share a delicious crockpot recipe I made before we left for vacation. It made so much I was able to freeze some for a future easy meal.
When I was working in communications, there was a little French restaurant near my office park that I frequented for lunch every few months with co-workers. I probably dined at Violette 10 times over the course of my nearly 5-year tenure.
Upon my first visit, I ordered Bouef Bourguignon and my tastebuds were rocked. I was new to French cuisine and was oblivious to the world outside of pastries. I still regret not savoring the amazing restaurants in Paris when I traveled there with my college roommate after studying abroad in England one summer. But I was young and only appreciative of the chocolate eclairs and fresh-baked French bread.
After tasting the amazing Bouef Bourguignon, every visit to Violette thereafter yielded the same menu choice. I’m sure many of Violette’s entrees are amazing, but I was so stuck on the Beef Bourguignon. I always brought home leftover to James, and eventually James Michael when he was old enough for table food.
Somehow, I started thinking about Bouef Bourguignon the other day and realized it’s been well over a year since I’ve tasted it. I was determined to make it myself, using Mama’s best friend, the crockpot. This recipe will definitely be in my menu rotation when the weather cools. And I’m hoping to make a couple batches as freezer meals for when Scarlett arrives in December.
Beef Bourguignon (adapted from here)
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs eye round roast
- salt
- pepper
- 4 slices of bacon
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 6 oz. tomato paste
- 2 cups red wine, divided
- 2 cups chicken or beef stock
- 1/2 cup soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried bay leaves
- 1 bag of pearl onions
- 3 tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 packages (16 oz. total) baby bella mushrooms
I used eye round roast because that’s what I found from our quarter cow in the freezer. You could also use blade or chuck roast.
1. Cut roast into roughly 2-inch chunks, season with salt and pepper and place into bottom of crockpot.
2. Cook bacon in dutch oven, then set aside to cool.
3. Add carrots and onion to pot and saute for roughly 10 minutes.
4. Add garlic and saute two more minutes.
5. Reduce heat to medium, then sprinkle arrowroot powder over mixture and stir for 1 minute.
6. Add tomato paste, stock, 1 cup red wine, soy sauce, thyme and bay leaves, and stir until evenly mixed.
7. Pour mixture over beef in crockpot, set to low and cook 9 hours.
8. Bring 3 cups of water to boil in medium pot.
9. Dump in pearl onions (unpeeled) and boil for 3 minutes.
10. Remove from heat and place in cold water.
11. When cooled, cut off tips of onions to squeeze out the middle.
11. Set aside bacon and pearl onions.
12. After meat has cooked for 8 to 9 hours, stir in remaining cup of wine, crumbled bacon, pearl onions, 2 tbsp coconut sugar and sliced baby bella mushrooms.
13. Turn crockpot to high and cook for another 2 hours so that sauce reduces.
Serve over mashed (white or sweet) potatoes while enjoying the rest of the bottle of red wine (assuming you’re not pregnant like me!)
