Crockpot Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients:
– 2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
– 4 medium potatoes, diced
– 3 carrots, chopped
– 2 celery stalks, chopped
– 1 onion, diced
– 3 cloves garlic, minced
– 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (optional)
– 3 cups beef broth
– 2 tbsp tomato paste
– 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
– 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
– ½ tsp black pepper
– 1 tsp smoked paprika
– 1 tsp dried thyme
– 1 tsp dried rosemary
– 1 bay leaf
– ¼ cup all-purpose flour
– 2 tbsp olive oil
– 2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (for thickening)
– Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Meat: In a mixing bowl, coat the beef with flour, salt, and pepper until evenly covered.
2. Sear the Meat (Optional but recommended): In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the beef on all sides to enhance the flavor, then transfer it to the crockpot.
3. Assemble the Crockpot: Place the diced potatoes, chopped carrots, celery, onion, minced garlic, and optional diced tomatoes into the crockpot.
4. Mix the Sauce: In a separate bowl, combine the beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Pour this mixture over the ingredients in the crockpot.
5. Cook: Cover the crockpot and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the beef is tender.
6. Thicken the Stew: In the last 30 minutes of cooking, mix the cornstarch with water and stir it into the stew. Allow it to cook until the stew thickens.
7. Serve: Remove the bay leaf, garnish with fresh parsley, and enjoy warm.
Would you like any adjustments, such as increasing the spice level or adding a unique twist?
