Recipes · Crockpot

Slow-Cooker Beef and Mushrooms in Red Wine

Name: Slow-Cooker Beef and Mushrooms in Red Wine
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 20 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2.5 to 3 lb beef chuck roast, cut into chunks; Salt and pepper; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large onion, sliced; 16 oz mushrooms, halved; 4 cloves garlic, smashed; 1.5 cups dry red wine; 1 cup beef broth; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; A few sprigs fresh thyme; 2 bay leaves; 2 tablespoons cornstarch plus 2 tablespoons water (optional)

By Janet
From Janet's Recipe Box · 20 min prep · 8 hr slow cook

A rustic bowl of slow-cooker beef and mushrooms in red wine gravy over mashed potatoes, garnished with thyme — Fall-off-the-bone beef in a rich red wine gravy. The whole house smells incredible by dinner.

This is the one I reach for the second the weather turns. Beef goes into the crockpot in the morning with red wine, mushrooms, and thyme, and by dinner it is so tender it falls apart with a spoon, swimming in a deep, glossy gravy that tastes like it took way more effort than it did. It is basically a fancy French braise pretending to be a dump-and-go dinner. I love it over mashed potatoes, but it is just as good over egg noodles, polenta, or a hunk of crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

Prep

20 min

Slow cook

7 to 8 hr

Setting

Low

Serves

4 to 6

Honesty note: this is how I roughly throw it together, not a precise science. Treat the amounts as a starting point and adjust to your crockpot and your taste. The one step I would not skip is searing the beef first, it is worth the extra pan.

Ingredients

2.5 to 3 lb beef, cut into big chunks (I use chuck roast, but short ribs or beef shanks are incredible here too)
Salt and pepper, generously
2 tbsp olive oil, for searing
1 large onion, sliced
16 oz mushrooms (baby bellas are my favorite), halved
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1.5 cups dry red wine (whatever you would drink, a cabernet or merlot works)
1 cup beef broth
2 tbsp tomato paste
A few sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water, to thicken at the end (optional)

How I make it

Pat the beef dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a big skillet and sear the chunks on all sides until deeply browned. Do not crowd the pan. This is where all the flavor comes from.
Add the seared beef to the slow cooker, then pile in the onion, mushrooms, and garlic.
In the same hot skillet, pour in the red wine and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom (this is the good stuff). Stir in the tomato paste and broth, let it bubble for a minute, then pour it all over the beef.
Tuck in the thyme and bay leaves. Give everything a gentle stir.
Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender.
Fish out the bay leaves and thyme stems. If you want a thicker gravy, stir the cornstarch and water together and mix it in, then let it cook another 15 to 20 minutes on high. Taste and add salt if it needs it.
Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or crusty bread, with the extra gravy spooned on top.

My tip: if you have time, dust the beef chunks in a little flour before searing. It gives you an even richer, more velvety gravy without any extra cornstarch at the end.

Make it your own

This one is forgiving. Add carrots and pearl onions to make it more of a full stew, throw in a splash of balsamic for extra depth, or swap the mushrooms out entirely if they are not your thing. Leftovers are even better the next day, and the beef shreds beautifully over a rice bowl or into tacos.

My cozy-dinner staples

My trusty slow cooker, the heavy skillet I sear in, and the serving bowls I actually use are all in my Amazon storefront.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I have to sear the beef first?

You can skip it in a pinch, but I really do not recommend it. Searing builds the deep, savory flavor that makes this taste like a restaurant braise instead of a plain pot roast. It takes ten extra minutes and it is worth it.

What cut of beef is best?

Chuck roast is my everyday pick because it is affordable and gets meltingly tender. Short ribs make it feel extra special and rich, and beef shanks are amazing if you can find them. Any well-marbled, slow-cook cut works.

Can I make it without wine?

Yes. Swap the wine for more beef broth plus a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar for that deep flavor. It will not be quite the same, but it is still cozy and delicious.

Can I make it in the oven or Instant Pot instead?

Definitely. For the oven, braise covered at 325F for about 3 hours. For the Instant Pot, sear on saute, then pressure cook on high for about 45 minutes with a natural release.

Heads up: some links in this post are affiliate links to my Amazon storefront, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. I only share things I actually use.

Janet

Orlando mom and the creator behind Planet Janet TV. Janet's Recipe Box is my collection of the approachable, slightly elevated meals I actually cook. Come say hi on Instagram.

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