Crockpot Beef Stew

Cut into bite-sized pieces:

• 1+ pounds of beef (remember, I had a large blade roast that I cubed and split between two crockpots.)

Toss the cubed meat in:

• 1/4 cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper (I doubled this for the two pots)

Brown the meat in a little olive oil.  Be sure to do this in small batches so the meat is not crowded and can brown properly.

Place the browned meat in the crockpot. Be sure to throw the bone in if your meat has one.  It will add lots of flavour.

Add bite-sized vegetables to fill your pot.  On this particular day, I included:

• potatoes
• mushrooms
• turnip
• carrots
• onion
• celery

You could incorporate any of your favourite veggies:  peas, corn, beans, peppers–whatever you have on hand.

Sprinkle on some herbs.  My go-tos are:

• fresh, minced garlic (about 4 cloves each pot).  You could use garlic powder.
• thyme (2 teaspoons or so)
• rosemary (about 2 teaspoons)
• salt and pepper to taste (you may need to adjust later)
• 2 bay leaves

Again…use your favourites.  Perhaps you’d like to use some chili powder for some Southwest flavour or curry–experiment and have fun.

Pour 2-3 cups of beef broth over all and add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste.  Shake in several splashes of Worcestershire sauce and you’re done.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or 4-6 hours on high.  If the gravy is too thin, you can make a paste with a tablespoon or two of flour and cold water, and add a little at a time till it reaches the desired thickness.  Your stew should be quite bubbly, so simply let it cook for another 5 or ten minutes.

Sorry…we were hungry, so no pictures of the finished stew.  But I tell you, it was delicious served with The Easiest Ever Rolls, and a salad.

On a bit of a side note:

Have you ever wondered how you would ever use up the rest of your tomato paste?  Most recipes only call for a tablespoon or two.  That means you need to make something else requiring tomato paste soon, or risk it spoiling in the fridge.  The answer?  Freeze it.  Freeze it in tablespoon servings.  I have these small silicone cups that work perfectly, but you could just scoop mounds onto parchment, and place in the freezer.  Once the paste is frozen, just place the frozen servings into a freezer bag and remove what you need when you need it!

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Home Matters at Life with Lorelai
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