Name: Texas Beef and Red Wine Stew Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 9 h
Total time: 9 h 30 min
Ingredients: Vegetable oil spray; 6 ounces thick-sliced bacon, chopped; 3 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut in 2-inch cubes; 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour; 3 cups dry red wine (divided use); 2 cups low-sodium beef broth; 3 cups chopped onions; 6 medium carrots, cut in 2-inch lengths; 3 plump garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 2 bay leaves; 2 teaspoons kosher salt or coarse sea salt, or more to taste; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 cups frozen pearl onions, unthawed; ¾ pound cremini mushrooms or button mushrooms, sliced thickly; ½ cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Discover > Texas Recipes > Texas Beef and Red Wine Stew Recipe

If your New Year's resolution is to spice up your cooking routine in January, noted as Slow Cooker Month, then look no further than this Texas Beef (how long does beef last?) and Red Wine Stew Recipe! It is basically a beef bourguignon with a Texas twist. The perfect fusion of savory, sweet and spice creates a hearty meal that will satisfy any palette. The key is to incorporate a Texas Cabernet Sauvignon from Becker Vineyards or Les Copains from McPherson Cellars for a unique flavor boost.

Taking the time to prepare this slow cooker meal may seem intimidating, but the result will be well worth it. And any leftovers make for an equally tasty lunch or dinner the next day! Serve with comforting side dishes like noodles or spaetzel to complete this unforgettable meal.

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What is a Beef Bourguignon?

Put simply, beef bourguignon is a French beef stew (What wine goes well with beef stew?) made with mired Burgundy-style flavors. The key ingredients of a traditional bourguignon are mushrooms, onions and red wine for the sauce. All of these combine with the slow-cooked cuts of tender beef to create an unforgettable and delicious meal. But it's not just about the flavor - how it's prepared is also important.

Every step in beef bourguignon comes together to elevate the dish from good to incredibly sumptuous. From browning the beef to adding on layers of flavor when cooking and stirring, each method helps bring out more deliciousness and make the final stew something special.

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Choosing the Right Cut of Beef

When you set out to make your delicious stew, you definitely want to be mindful of the cut of beef that you choose. The more connective tissue contained in the meat, meaning collagen and marbled fat, the better. While it might look tough and chewy when raw, slow cooking unlocks the collagen causing it to break down into intensely flavorful gelatin.

This is why tougher cuts of beef can be incredibly tender when cooked for an extended period of time—the intense moisture from the gelatin prevents them from becoming too dry. On the other hand, if you try a trim, lean cut like filet mignon for the same amount of time as tougher cuts, you’ll get near indistinguishable meat jerky for dinner.

The boneless chuck roll is the perfect cut of beef for making stew due to its low cost and meaty richness. This cut is taken from the shoulder of the cow, guaranteeing a flavorful and fulfilling stew dish.

To prepare the beef, most recipes suggest dicing into small pieces before browning in order to lock in flavor. Although the exterior will be dried out through this process, submerging the cubes in stewing liquid for two hours will ensure a juicy interior. With this delicious piece of beef at your disposal, view my list of top stewing beef cuts for more options to customize your dishes with.

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Should You Marinate the Beef?

Making a delicious stew is as much of an art as it is a science. As any chef will tell you, key ingredients are essential in deciding how your stew will turn out. One not-so-secret secret to creating a tasty stew is to use meat that has been marinated beforehand. Surprisingly though, when it comes to stews the extra bit of effort isn't even necessary.

Stewing the beef directly in the pot with all of its accompanying flavors will work just as well as spending time marinating first! In fact, testers have had trouble noting any differences in taste between beef that was pre-marinated for 24 hours versus those straight into the cooker; both tasted just as delicious. So don't hesitate to jump into that pot and cook up something special thanks to a good old fashioned stew!

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Slow Cooking the Beef

To ensure your slow cooker meal is flavorful and juicy, start off by generously spraying the inside of the slow cooker with oil. In a large heavy skillet, fry the bacon (how long does bacon last?) over medium-low heat until brown and crisp, and then transfer it to the slow cooker. Turn up the heat to medium-high, then begin browning the meat in batches. When mostly browned, stir in some flour (how long does flour last?) before adding about ½ cup of wine.

Make sure all those extra flavorful bits stuck to the bottom get included, too! Finally, transfer everything from the skillet into the slow cooker and you should have a delicious creation that's ready for hours of cooking goodness!