Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon

Boeuf bourguignon is a recipe that takes about 3 hours to make and most of it is sitting time in the slow cooker cooking. Whenever it comes to recipes like this, or any recipe for that matter, I find it extremely important to prep everything ahead of time so that the cooking process goes smoothly. The French actually have a saying for this food prep process, it’s called “mise en place,” which translates to "everything in its place." This means that everything is completely ready when it comes time to cook. It doesn’t mean partially ready or I can cut onions right before I need to throw them in. NO, it means everything for the recipe is ready to go. To make a long story short, just prep it all out so that cooking is smooth sailing.

One of my favorite things about using slow cookers is the set it and forget it mentality that comes with it. It’s really cool to see slow cookers evolve to where they are today. Back in the day it was high or low, but now they come with all sorts of settings like roast, steam, sear, etc. The Crock-Pot that I used for this boeuf bourguignon recipe really came in handy, as I could do just about everything right in it.

The sear function gets extremely hot, making it perfect for crisping up the bacon as well as browning the beef. Make sure to take the time to sear the beef to get it to that nice golden brown before removing it from the slow cooker. I’ve change my stance in the past few years on over caramelizing up vegetables because everything just tastes the same when caramelizing. I think if you cook them on the lighter side you will still be able to taste so much more of the vegetable instead of the sear.

When cooking with wine, I always say that it better be good enough to drink, as there is nothing worse than bad wine. If you won’t drink it, then don’t you dare cook with it. After you pour in the wine for braising, be sure to pour yourself a glass so that you can enjoy the process even more. Cooking should be therapeutic, it shouldn’t be a job. It will take time to enjoy every step of the cooking process, but once you get to a place where your food is starting to taste really good, then it will become a love.

Happy cooking you guys!