November 11, 2013

Crock Pot Beef Stew

Here is the truth about beef stew. I was never a fan until I made this recipe…, which was given to me by my sister Silvana – she doesn’t cook this in the crock-pot, so this can also be cooked on the stove top. By the way, she got this recipe from my mother-in-law…who knew.

Crock-Pot Beef Stew
Printable Recipe

Two large carrots and potatoes peel and cut in small chunks –

Start with beef cube or beef for stew found in all supermarket… about a pound and half; trim any fat and cut the cubes to bite size. Season the beef with a pinch of salt and a smaller pinch of black pepper. In Ziploc add 2 cups of flour season with salt and black pepper…small pinches will do.

Coat beef flour, in a pan coat bottom with olive oil and pan fry in low medium heat in batches searing and browning the meat. Once all the beef pieces are all fried and brown I return all the beef cubes to the pan, turn the heat on high and add a half of bottle of a good beer. Either I use a stout or if I have a lager, like a Samuel Adams I will use that, if I only have a stout beer like Guinness I use less than a ½ of the bottle. I let the beef cook in the beer scraping the bottom for about five minutes.

In the crock-pot, I line the bottom with the carrots and potatoes, and add a bag of frozen vegetables for stew. I add the beef and pour one jar of beef gravy and two small cans of tomato sauce (4 oz. cans.) I swish a little bit of water in the jar that the gravy was in and add that too, two small pinches of salt and black pepper, a couple of bay leaves, cover and slow cook for 4 to 6 hours on high or 10 to 12 hours on low.