So, not going to lie, this recipe became a must for me, the second I saw it. First off, I love the movie Julie and Julia. It’s amazing what Julia Childs was able to do for women in the world of cooking. She knocked down the walls preventing women from learning to become extraordinary chefs. If you love to cook and have not seen Julie and Julia, I recommend you make this recipe, uncork a nice bottle of wine, and settle in for a dinner showing. I am guessing Julia Childs might not approve of her Beef Bourguignon being made in a slow cooker, but I am pretty freakin’ stoked about it, due to the time-saving aspect.

Moving on, this recipe was taken from the unboundwellness.com site. As I stated in last Friday’s article, I have a few recipes I plan to make and evaluate, which come from this same site. The Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon is a savory stew filled with lots of veggies, and of course, stew meat.

It took me an hour to put the dish together. The ingredients are as follows: beef stew meat, bacon, carrots, Portobello mushrooms, white sweet potatoes (I used orange), pearl onions, beef broth, arrowroot powder, red wine, salt, pepper (I omitted this), garlic, Bay leaf, and Thyme. This dish can be prepared to fit the needs of anyone on the AIP, Paleo, Whole30, or Gluten free diet.

The most difficult part of this dish is cooking the bacon and browning the beef. The rest is really about chopping vegetables and putting the ingredients into the crockpot at the correct time. It must cook for 8 hours on low, so definitely plan ahead.

I ran into a couple of snags during my cooking adventure. I was unable to find white sweet potatoes, so I used orange, which the recipe says is okay. I put one in the pot, and will cook two to mash up underneath the stew, once it is ready to serve. The second issue I ran into, was that I forgot to buy fresh Thyme and Parsley, so I had to go back to the store again to get these items. I was not going to let my dish go without Thyme. I took the “Thyme” to make it, so it should be done correctly, right?

It smells and looks heavenly in the slow cooker. Waiting is my biggest frustration. The flavor, however, was totally worth it in the end. It’s hearty and I am incredibly glad this makes enough for six servings, because I want more later.

I give this recipe 5 stars because it seems like a complicated recipe, but with the slow cooker, it becomes quite simple and still provides an elegant dish to share with your family and friends. The recipe was easy to follow and worth the time and wait. The author gives you substitution guidelines as well as different serving options, which is always a nice bonus.

To make your Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon, check out the link below:

https://www.unboundwellness.com/slow-cooker-beef-bourguignon/