Slow Cooker French Beef Daube with Couscous

Steps

1. 1

   Prep vegetables and beef

   • Cut beef chuck into 2-inch (5 cm) cubes and pat dry with paper towels—this helps with browning.
   • Peel pearl onions; if using the blanching method, they'll be much easier.
   • Cut carrots into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces.
   • Mince garlic cloves.
   • Quarter the cremini mushrooms if using.
   • Chop bacon into small pieces.
   • Measure out all remaining ingredients and have them ready (mise en place).

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   Tip: Peeling pearl onions is the most tedious part—blanching them in boiling salted water for 2 minutes really does make the skins slip off more easily. Pat the beef dry so it browns instead of steaming.

2. 2

   Brown beef in batches

   • Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (5-6 quart capacity) over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and just begins to smoke lightly.
   • Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, add beef cubes in a single layer.
   • Let each batch brown undisturbed for 3-4 minutes on the first side, then turn and brown the other side for another 3-4 minutes, until a deep golden crust forms on at least two sides.
   • Transfer browned beef to a clean plate.
   • Don't worry if the inside is still raw—the slow cooker will finish the job.

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   Ready when: beef has a deep golden-brown crust on the outside

   Tip: Crowding the pan drops the temperature and causes steaming instead of browning. Use a meat thermometer or timer to avoid overcooking—we just want the surface seared and golden.

3. 3

   Cook bacon and vegetables

   • Add chopped bacon to the same pot (don't clean it out—all those browned bits are liquid gold) and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered.
   • Using a slotted spoon, transfer crisp bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
   • Add pearl onions and carrots to the rendered fat and bacon drippings.
   • Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges of the onions start to golden.
   • Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until very fragrant.
   • If using mushrooms, add them now and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until they release some liquid.

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   Ready when: bacon is crisp, onions are slightly golden at edges, garlic is very aromatic

   Tip: Keep the heat at medium to avoid burning the garlic—you want it fragrant and toasted, not charred.

4. 4

   Deglaze and build braising base

   • Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the paste darkens and caramelizes slightly on the bottom of the pot.
   • Pour in 2.5 cups red wine.
   • Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot vigorously with a wooden spoon to loosen all those browned, flavorful caramelized bits.
   • Add 1 cup beef broth (reserve the remaining 2.25 cups for couscous).
   • Stir in 2 bay leaves and 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme crushed between your fingers).
   • Add 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
   • Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it bubble for 2-3 minutes, then taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

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   Ready when: braising liquid simmers gently and tastes well-seasoned; browned bits are dissolved into the liquid

   Tip: Those caramelized brown bits are where the deep flavor lives—scrape the pot thoroughly. Taste the braising liquid now because you can't easily adjust it once it's in the slow cooker for 6+ hours.

5. 5

   Add ingredients to slow cooker

   • Return the browned beef and crisp bacon to the pot with the braising liquid, or transfer everything to your 6-7 quart slow cooker.
   • Stir gently to combine, making sure the beef is mostly submerged in the liquid (the vegetables will rise to the surface, and that's fine).
   • Cover the slow cooker with its lid and prepare to cook.

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   Ready when: all ingredients are combined and the mixture is ready to cook

   Tip: If you don't have a 6-7 quart slow cooker, you can use a slightly smaller one, but don't fill it more than 3/4 full or it may boil over during cooking.

6. 6

   Slow-cook until beef is tenderOven 200°F / 95°C

   • Set the slow cooker to the LOW setting (approximately 190-200°F / 87-93°C) and cook for 6-8 hours.
   • The exact cooking time depends on your specific slow cooker and how tender you like the beef—at 6 hours it will be quite tender, at 8 hours the meat will be nearly falling apart.
   • Do NOT lift the lid during cooking, as each time you do it adds 15-20 minutes to the cooking time.
   • At the 6-hour mark, if you're curious, you can lift the lid briefly to check that the liquid is simmering gently (small bubbles at the edges) and that the beef is softening.

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   Ready when: beef shreds easily when pierced with a fork, and vegetables are very soft

   Tip: Resist the urge to peek! Every lift of the lid adds 15-20 minutes of cooking time. Trust the process—slow cooking is very forgiving.

7. 7

   Check doneness and finish

   • After 6-8 hours, lift the lid and test the beef—it should break apart very easily with a fork or wooden spoon.
   • Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
   • If the sauce seems too thin and you'd like it thicker, you can simmer it uncovered on the slow cooker's HIGH setting for 15-30 minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavors.
   • Let the daube rest uncovered for 5-10 minutes before serving.

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   Ready when: beef is very tender and breaks apart easily with a fork

   Tip: If you want a thicker sauce, uncover and simmer on HIGH for 15-30 minutes. If the sauce is perfect as is, just let it rest while you make the couscous.

8. 8

   Cook pearl couscous

   • In a medium saucepan, bring 2.25 cups beef broth to a boil over medium-high heat.
   • Add ½ teaspoon salt.
   • Stir in 1.5 cups pearl couscous and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter.
   • Return to a boil, then immediately remove from heat, cover tightly with a lid, and let sit for 5 minutes.
   • Fluff with a fork, taste, and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt and a few grinds of black pepper if desired.

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   Ready when: couscous is fluffy and tender, all liquid is absorbed

   Tip: Don't skip the 5-minute rest period—it allows the couscous to fully absorb the liquid and become tender. Fluff gently with a fork to avoid making it mushy.

9. 9

   Serve daube with couscous

   • Spoon the pearl couscous into shallow bowls or plates.
   • Ladle the beef daube and its rich sauce generously over the top.
   • Garnish with fresh parsley.
   • Serve immediately while steaming hot.

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   Ready when: plated and ready to serve