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Slow Cooker Beef Stew Image TK
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Slow Cooker Beef Stew

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!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Difficulty Easy
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 25 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 343kcal
Author Nora

Ingredients

For the meat:

  • 2 tablespoons oil OR lard OR butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour optional for more browning and a thicker gravy
  • 1.5 pounds beef stewing meat in chunks grass fed and/or organic preferred

For the gravy:

  • 2 large yellow onions cut into thin wedges
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 1/3 cups beef stock separated
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt or less, depending on what kind of stock you're using
  • Black pepper to taste

For the stew:

  • 1 pound waxy potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
  • 4 large carrots peeled and cut into chunks
  • 4 large celery sticks trimmed and thickly sliced
  • 1/2 pound brown mushrooms quartered
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas no 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 1018mg | Potassium: 1446mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 7093IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 5mg