One Man’s Journey From Brownie Stew to Beef Bourguignon

My husband and I have a dear friend named Ken, who has had multiple health issues and has not been able to get out and about. This means he has not been able to dine at his favorite restaurants and has been eating simple, throw-it-in-the-microwave meals. I told Ken I would make him his favorite meal, with the exception of liver and onions. Ken loves liver and onions, but this is a dish I will not make.

After pondering my offer for a few minutes, Ken said, “How about beef stew?”

“Beef stew?” I blurted out. “Not Beef Bourguignon?”

“Ah, Beef Bourguignon,” Ken reminisced. “My first wife made really delicious Beef Bourguignon. When we first got married, she didn’t know how to cook. She was a Girl Scout and learned to make Brownie Stew. So every night, for nights and weeks and months on end, she made Brownie Stew—her recipe a pound of browned ground beef and a can of vegetable soup. Eventually, she learned to make a really delicious beef bourguignon. Beef Bourguignon it is. That brings back happy memories.”

Now, I was a Girl Scout, but I never learned to make Brownie Stew. I did some googling for Brownie Stew recipes, and there are several. One recipe uses browned ground beef and adds a can of spaghetti. Another uses browned hamburger meat, a can of tomato soup, and a can of vegetable soup. One recipe follows Ken’s ex-wife’s version but adds a package of dried onion soup.

I personally prefer Beef Bourguignon over any of the recipes I found for Brownie Stew. So, Ken, I made this one just for you. I hope it’s as good as your ex-wife made. Just wondering. Did she ever learn to make liver and onions?

Carol Ann’s Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

(Beef Burgundy)

Serves 6

Serve with a green salad, your favorite crusty bread, and, of course, a glass of wine. Traditionally, Beef Bourguignon is served over noodles. You can also serve it with mashed potatoes, creamy polenta, or rice. To save time, buy frozen pearl onions.

4 slices bacon (about 4 ounces), chopped

2 pounds top round steak, trimmed and cut into 1 ½-inch cubes

2 ½ cups sliced onion (about 1 large)

2 teaspoons minced garlic

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

1 can (10 ½-ounces) beef broth

1 cup Pinot Noir, Burgundy, or other dry red wine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon butter

1 package (8-ounces) mushrooms, quartered

1 package (10-ounces) pearl onions, peeled

2 to 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Fresh thyme sprigs for garnish

1 package (16 ounces) egg noodles, cooked al dente according to package directions and drained

In a large nonstick skillet, place bacon pieces over a medium high heat and sauté until lightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add beef cubes and cook until browned on all sides. Transfer the steak/bacon mixture to a 3-quart electric slow cooker.

Add sliced onion and garlic to the same skillet and sauté 5 minutes or until onions are tender. Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add beef broth, wine, and tomato paste to the onion mixture, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute or until thick. Add dried thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper and stir to blend. Pour the onion mixture over beef in slow cooker.

In a medium nonstick skillet, place butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, pearl onions, and carrots to the slow cooker. Cover with a lid and cook on high heat for 1 hour. Reduce the heat to low and cook 4 to 5 hours. About 10 minutes before serving, add parsley, stir to blend, and simmer another 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve over noodles. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.

Cooking tip: When I cube meat for stew, I prefer thicker cubes, about 1-½ inch cubes. Larger pieces hold their shape better and give the stew a better taste.

Cooking tip: Pearl onions can be quite tedious to peel. To make the process easier drop pearl onions in boiling water and cook 1 minute. Drain the onions and peel them under running cold water.

Selecting beef for this recipe: Chuck roast, top round steak, or brisket are good cuts to use in Beef Bourguignon as they must be cooked slowly. 

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

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