• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
The Tour Guy

The Tour GuyThe Tour Guy

  • Destinations
    • Amalfi Coast
    • Amsterdam
    • Athens
    • Barcelona
    • Capri
    • Florence
    • Granada
    • Iceland
    • Las Vegas
    • London
    • Madrid
    • Milan
    • New York City
    • Paris
    • Rome
    • San Francisco
    • Segovia
    • Sicily
    • Tuscany
    • Vatican City
    • Venice
  • Attractions
    • 9/11 Memorial
    • Accademia Gallery
    • Acropolis
    • Alcázar of Segovia
    • Alhambra
    • Borghese Gallery
    • Buckingham Palace
    • Colosseum
    • Doge’s Palace
    • Eiffel Tower
    • Louvre Museum
    • The Met
    • Montserrat Monastery
    • Pantheon
    • Paris Catacombs
    • Sagrada Familia
    • Sistine Chapel
    • St. Mark’s Basilica
    • St. Peter’s Basilica
    • Statue of Liberty
    • Stonehenge
    • The Last Supper
    • Tower of London
    • Uffizi Gallery
    • Vatican Museum
    • Versailles
    • Westminster Abbey
    • Windsor Castle
  • Shop Tours
  • Sign In

French Cooking Made Easy: Beef Bourguignon from the Slow Cooker

by Sean Finelli Last updated on January 15, 2025
beef bourguignon slow cooker
Home > travel-blog > France > French Cooking Made Easy: Beef Bourguignon from the Slow Cooker
Paris Tours Top things to do Where to stay Best restaurants Foods to try
  • The Louvre
  • Versailles
  • The Eiffel Tower
  • Catacombs
  • Musee d’Orsay
All The Louvre ToursTours & things to doHow to visitTop things to seeBest restaurants nearbyIs a tour worth it?
Best tours + why
All Versailles ToursTours & things to doHow to visitTop things to seeBest restaurants nearbyIs a tour worth It?
Best tours + why
All The Eiffel Tower ToursTours & things to doHow to visitTop things to seeBest restaurants nearbyIs a tour worth It?
Best tours + why
All Catacombs ToursTours & things to doHow to visitTop things to seeBest restaurants nearbyIs a tour worth it?
Best tours + why
All Musee Dorsay ToursTours & things to doHow to visitTop things to seeBest restaurants nearbyIs a tour worth It?

France is known for its highly-influential style of cooking. Dating back to the 14th century, French cooking is an art that has evolved into France’s gift to the world. It wasn’t until the 20th century that French cuisine became the high-level haute cuisine that we now know it as. One dish that is synonymous with French cooking is beef bourguignon. This French beef stew is a dish that is enjoyed both in fancy French brasseries and kitchen tables across the world. Beef bourguignon is also a very practical dish that can be made using a slow cooker. 


Hey, we sell tours too!

While the information we provide in this post is free, we also sell tours at reasonable prices. At The Tour Guy, we believe that anyone visiting The City of Lights should experience all aspects of its cultural splendor. We offer a large selection of Paris tours for those who want to a complete cultural experience.  Experience the best of France’s culinary history on The Tour Guy’s exclusive food tour through Paris’ Le Marais neighborhood. Enjoy sumptuous oysters, French cheese, crème brûlée and of course, beef bourguignon.

The History of Beef Bourguignon

Beef bourguignon, also known as beef burgundy, is one of France’s most well-known dishes. A simple beef stew consisting of beef, carrots, onions and mushrooms, beef bourguignon is elevated by the presence of red wine. The first documented instance of beef bourguignon was recorded during the 19th century. While the burgundy name makes it easy to assume that beef bourguignon is a local dish from France’s Burgundy region, the name is actually derived from the red wine used in the recipe. The dish wasn’t associated with the Burgundy region until the 20th century.

Beef bourguignon

Beef Bourguignon’s Versatility

Aside from being a staple dish in French cooking, beef bourguignon is also a very practical dish. Its use of simple ingredients such as beef, wine, carrots and onions makes it very easy to prepare. Beef bourguignon is also a dish that can be prepared ahead of time, even as far ahead as a day in advance. This makes beef bourguignon a great slow cooker option. Simply combine the ingredients in a slow cooker and have a complete French meal ready by evening time. Beef bourguignon is also a dish that gains flavor when reheated, making it the perfect dish to bring to work for lunch.

Best Wines to Use in Beef Bourguignon

According to Julia Child, the best wines to use in beef bourguignon recipes are full-bodied red wines. French red wines such as Beaujolais, Côtes-du-Rhône, Bordeaux and Burgundy are perfect wines for a beef bourguignon recipe.

How to Serve Beef Bourguignon 

Beef bourguignon is traditionally served with boiled potatoes. However, buttered noodles or steamed rice also make for an ample starch to serve with this dish. Another secret to a good beef bourguignon is bacon. For 6 people, a 6-ounce chunk of bacon cut into lardons (¼ inch thick and ½ inch long sticks) is a great option for a quality beef bourguignon recipe.

Which Beef is Best for Beef Bourguignon?

The types of beef best used in a beef bourguignon recipe vary according to time and budget. Stewing beef, chuck steak and brisket are generally used in a beef bourguignon recipe. For slow cooker recipes, stewing beef is a perfect option as it is less expensive and becomes more tender when simmering in liquid.

Beef bourguignon raw meat

 

Easy Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon Recipe

Try making the dish for yourself with this easy slow cooker recipe.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 3 lbs. of stewing beef, brisket or lean chuck roast, diced into 1-2″ cubes, patted dry
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 4 strips of bacon, diced into lardons (¼ inch thick and ½ inch long sticks)
  • 1 bunch of thyme (tied with cooking string)
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • 3 cups red wine (preferably Beaujolais, Côtes-du-Rhône, Bordeaux or Burgundy)
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste (from the tube)
  • 4 carrots, chopped into 1″ cubes
  • 16 oz. mushrooms (preferable Cremini), halved
  • 10 oz. pearl onions
  • garnish with flat leaf parsley
  • optional: 1 tablespoon of cornstarch (or arrowroot) and 1 tablespoon of water

Instructions

  1. Pat the beef dry, then season with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat a large skillet to medium high heat, then add olive oil to the pan. Add beef and sear each side for 2-3 minutes until the meat is slightly browned. Put the seared meat into the slow cooker.
  3. Add bacon lardons to the skillet and saute until browned. This should take no more than 3-4 minutes. Then add the bacon to the slow cooker.
  4. Add onions and garlic to the skillet. Saute for 2-3 minutes, the onions should be translucent. Add onions to slow cooker.
  5. Add red wine to the skillet. Scrape all the brown bits of the bottom of the pan. Add the beef stock and tomato paste to the pan, whisking them together and scraping the pan until everything is removed.
  6. Add bundle of thyme and the red wine mixture to the slow cooker along with carrots, mushrooms, and pear onions. Stir and cover the slow cooker.
  7. Cook on LOW heat for roughly 6-8 hours.
  8. Garnish with extra thyme or parsley.
  9. Serve or save for later!

Where Can I Find Beef Bourguignon?

If you’d like to try beef bourguignon for yourself, the dish can be found in many fine dining restaurants and French brasseries. Try beef bourguignon from the slow cooker at home, then try it from a restaurant menu. We recommend searching for local restaurants that feature the dish on their menus. Still, the dish is an easy dish to prepare and a great way to experience French cooking while feeling accomplished after making it yourself. Of course, there is no substitute for trying an authentic beef bourguignon in the place it originated: France. The many brasseries in Paris feature beef bourguignon prepared artfully by expert French chefs. Why not experience the culture of France and its elevated form of cuisine for yourself? If this sounds interesting to you, try our Paris food tour and one of our many tours of France for yourself. Experience what the French call le bon vivant.


I Want More Paris!

  • Not sure what to do in Paris? Check out our step-by-step guide about how to do Paris in a Day. If you’d rather let us guide you, check out our Paris tours.
  • Parlez-Vous Francais? Learn some of the most important French phrases before your trip to Paris.
  • Follow our European adventures on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Then, comment and tell us what you want us to cover next.
Beef Bourguignon French Cooking Pinterest

About Sean Finelli

Sean is a co-founder and owner of The Tour Guy and its subsidiary The Roman Guy. He studied finance and statistics, but that is his "Dr. Jekyll" side! His "Mr. Hyde" is in love with travel, art, history, and culture. Sean has read libraries of historical text and believes that all internet content should come from books. A practice he follows!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Footer

COMPANY

  • About Us
  • Travel Blog
  • In The Press
  • Guidebook Sitemap

POLICY & TERMS

  • Cancellation Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Consent

FIND US ON

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

WE ACCEPT

we accept payments

Copyright © 2025 The Tour Guy. All rights reserved.