Crockpot Beef Bourguignon

Hi, this is Tyler, this is my first guest post!  I've selected Beef Bourguignon, a very tasty dish.  This is the third time I've made it.  This dish originates in Burgundy and brings a deep richness of flavor via red wine.  I first had this dish after a long day of skiing in New Mexico and decided I had to make it myself.  My spin on it is intensely flavorful and relatively simple.

What You'll Need:
2 lbs cubed beef (very easy to find)
1 large yellow onion
1 package baby portobello mushrooms
1/2 bottle inexpensive Pinot Noir or Burgundy
2 shots brandy (optional)
1 small 6 oz can tomato paste (perfect size)
12 oz beef stock or top off crockpot
Salt
Black Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Garlic Powder
Celery Seed
Thyme
Oregano (I use a lot of seasoning in things)

Directions:
1. Place all the beef in a large frying pan.  Brown the meat on high heat, turning the chunks to brown each side.  Some pink on the inside is ok, it's going to be cooked for a long time in the crockpot.   

2. Dump all the meat into a pasta strainer.  This will drain off most of the drippings and make your final result healthier and less greasy. 

3. Dice the yellow onion and quarter the mushrooms.  Place these in the crockpot with the drained beef.  

4. Turn your crockpot on high as you prepare the liquid portion of the stew.  Pour in the red wine, the stock, the and scrape the tomato paste in.  Optionally add a small amount of brandy for intense flavor.  Stir it all together. 
5. Add all the seasonings.  For me I can never add too much dried oregano but be sure to get your salt level right and be sparing with the cayenne.  Taste the liquid and adjust accordingly, don't be alarmed by the "booziness," the alcohol will cook off. 

 

6. Top off your crockpot and set it to low.  Let it cook overnight or while you're at work, I usually put it in before bed.
7. When you come back to you have a huge batch of stew!  Like any stew it keeps well in the fridge, I get at least 4 servings out of this, if not more. Such a good value.