This Slow Cooker Beef Stew is a hearty and warming dinner recipe for cold fall and winter nights. It's easy to assemble in the morning, and then it cooks in the crockpot all day!
2tablespoonsflouroptional for more browning and a thicker gravy
1.5poundsbeef stewing meat in chunksgrass fed and/or organic preferred
For the gravy:
2large yellow onionscut into thin wedges
2clovesgarliccrushed
2teaspoonsdried parsley
4tablespoonstomato paste
2 1/3cupsbeef stockseparated
2tablespoonsWorcestershire sauce
1teaspoonmaple syrup
1 1/2teaspoonsfine sea saltor less, depending on what kind of stock you're using
Black pepperto taste
For the stew:
1poundwaxy potatoespeeled and cut into chunks
4large carrotspeeled and cut into chunks
4large celery stickstrimmed and thickly sliced
1/2poundbrown mushroomsquartered
4sprigs fresh thyme
2bay leaves
1/2cupfrozen peasno need to defrost
Instructions
Brown the meat: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and sprinkle with flour. Cook until browned, then remove to a 5-6 quit slow cooker.
Start the gravy: Cook onions in the same skillet as the beef (no need to wipe it). Add garlic, parsley and tomato paste. Stir to roast, about 1 minute. Add 1/3 cup of beef stock, scratching the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining ingredients for the gravy and bring to a boil (this helps to quick-start the stew in the crock). Take off the heat.
Add to the slow cooker: Place remaining stew ingredients EXCEPT for the peas on top of the meat. Very carefully ladle the hot liquid on top. Stir gently.
Cook: Cook the stew on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGh for 4 hours. 10 minutes before cooking time is over, stir in the peas. Finish cooking with the lid open (for a thicker stew). To thicken even further, make a slurry of 1 teaspoon organic cornstarch (or arrowroot) and 1 tablespoon water and stir into the stew as it simmers for the last 10 minutes.