Crock-Pot
Beef Stew
Ingredients:
5 pounds
boneless chuck roast, cut into 1½ -inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt,
to taste
1 teaspoon
fresh black ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons
canola oil
2 medium
yellow onions, finely chopped
1 (6-ounce)
can tomato paste
2 cups
low-sodium chicken broth or beef broth
3 tablespoons
soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 pound
carrots, peeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound red
potatoes, washed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon
dried thyme
2 tablespoons
Minute tapioca
2 cups frozen
peas
Preparation:
After the
meat has been cut into chunks, pat it dry with a paper towel and season all the
pieces
with salt and pepper.
In a large
skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat until the oil is
rippling and hot.
Cook half of
the beef until it is well browned on each side, about 4 minutes.
No need to
cook it all the way through – just get some great brown color all around.
Toss the meat
in the slow cooker and follow the same process with the second half of the meat
(you may need to add another tablespoon of oil to the pan if it looks a little
dry).
Remove the
meat to the slow cooker, trying to keep as much oil in the pan as possible.
Return the
skillet to medium heat and add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until
the
onions are translucent and golden, about 6 minutes.
Add the
tomato paste and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.
Slowly whisk
in the broth, soy sauce, ½ teaspoon thyme and bay leaves.
Bring the
mixture to a boil and transfer it to the slow cooker, pouring it over the meat.
In a large
bowl, toss the carrots, potatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½
teaspoon
salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
On the
counter, lay out a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil (use two sheets of
regular foil
on top of each other if you don’t have heavy-duty).
Place the
tossed vegetables on one side of the foil.
Fold the foil
over the vegetables and crimp the edges really well to form a little foil
packet that
will fit in the top of your slow cooker.
Stir the
tapioca into the slow cooker.
Place the
foil packet of vegetables on top of the stew, cover the slow cooker, and cook
on high
for 6-7 hours or low for 10-11 hours.
When the stew
is finished cooking, carefully remove the foil packet from the top of the stew.
Discard the
bay leaves from the stew.
Carefully
open the foil packet (be careful of steam that may escape as you open it!).
Return the
vegetables and any juices to the slow cooker and gently mix them into the stew.
Stir in the
frozen peas and let them rest in the stew for 5-10 minutes, until they are
heated
through.
Serve hot.
Serve 6.
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