Easy Beef Burgundy

A little bacon, garlic, and onion turns an inexpensive piece of meat into a crock pot and at the end of the day you will have a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients:

1 (5-pound) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
Sea Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 ounces bacon (about 4 slices), minced
3 onions, minced
4 carrots, peeled and slice into 1/2-inch chunks
¼ cup tomato paste
7 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme 
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2½ cups Pinot Noir
1½ cups  Swans Chicken Broth, plus extra as needed
⅓ cup soy sauce
1 bay leaves
2 cups frozen pearl onions
½ cup water
3 tablespoons salted butter
2 teaspoons sugar
1 pound small Portabella mushrooms, trimmed and halved

Directions:

Pat dry beef with paper towels and season with sea 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 crock pot.

In skillet over medium-high heat cook bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. Stir in onions, carrots, 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 crock pot.

Mix in a small bowl broth, soy sauce, and bay leaf and pour into crock pot. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 9 to 11 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high.

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 crock pot.

Add remaining 1¼ cups wine to skillet and simmer until it has reduced by half, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to crock pot. et 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 sea salt and pepper to taste and serve.