BEEF STEW
Easy Beef Stew requiring minimal ingredients
Servings: 8 people
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 4 lbs beef stewing meat
- 1 carrot large, peeled and chopped
- 1 onion large, chopped
- 8 potatoes peeled, washed and cubed
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1.5 tbsp steak spices
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tbsp flour
Instructions
- In A skillet, brown meat in 1 lb batches. We use 2 – 4 lbs of stew beef. Cook on med-high and turn meat allowing all sides to brown. We are not cooking the meat in this step, just browning it. This will keep the juices inside the meat. Once browned on all sides, remove from skillet and place inside slow cooker. TIP - Overcrowding meat in the pan will cause
meat to steam rather than brown. - ADD beef broth enough to just cover beef. Next, add approx 2 tbsp of Worcestershire Sauce and mix together.
- ADD one cut onion into skillet. Add teaspoon of butter and extra virgin olive oil and cook until translucent. Add tsp salt. Remove from skillet and place inside slow cooker.
- AND REPEAT step 2 with cut carrots. Add to slow cooker
- PEEL POTATOES. Peel, wash and cube potatoes. Add into slow cooker. I like to have as many potatoes as I have meat so if you like to have more meat, then cut back on the amount of
potatoes added. Base the quantity on how the stew begins to look once you stir everything together. - ADD additional broth, to just cover beef.
- COVER AND SIMMER in slow-cooker for at least 7 hours or until the potatoes are cooked through. Place in fridge over night. Reheat on low in slow-cooker the following day.
Notes
Tips for making a perfect beef stew –
- Stews don’t require any fussing while they cook – once they’re in the slow cooker you’re free – they cook by themselves so you can have the whole kitchen cleaned up when guests arrive – perfect for those of us who entertain in the kitchen.
- Browning the beef before simmering gives beef stew a rich color and flavour and helps maintain juices within the meat.
- Overcrowding meat in the pan will cause meat to steam rather than brown. Best to brown 1 lb packages at a time.
- Onions are cut into wedges lengthwise so they keep their shape in the stew. Onions that are cut crosswise tend to melt down into the background of a stew when they cook.
- If flavourings start to scorch add a splash of extra virgin olive oil, butter or beef broth to the skillet.
- For Stew, the secret is in the simmer. Go slow. Take your time. Use a 325ºF (160ºC) oven for a good even heat or a slow cooker and allow it to cook for 7 hours on low the day before serving.
- Beef stews, are great for entertaining since they can be made the day ahead. Stew flavors meld together as it sits so it tastes better next day. Gently re-heat in the slow cooker before serving on low