Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 750 ml beef stock/broth, low sodium
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 75 g plain flour / all-purpose flour
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• 1250 g chuck beef, cut into cubes — 1.25kg is approximately 2.5lb
• ¾ tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 large onion, halved then sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 500 ml red wine — substitute with more beef stock if desired
• 1 cube beef stock cube (bouillon cube)
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 leaves bay leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme — or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 3 large carrots, peeled, cut into big bite size pieces
• 2 sticks celery, cut into pieces
• 400 g small cocktail potatoes
• 1 cup frozen peas — still frozen

Steps

1. 1

   Mix 1 cup of beef stock, tomato paste, and flour in the slow cooker until lump-free, then mix in the remaining stock.

2. 2

   Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Brown the beef pieces in batches for about 3-4 minutes, then add them to the slow cooker, leaving the fat in the pan.

3. 3

   Sauté the onion in the remaining fat until it is tinged gold and softened. Add the red wine and boil until reduced by 75%. Add this mixture to the slow cooker.

4. 4

   Add the beef stock cube, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir well. Add the carrots, celery, and potatoes, pushing them in to submerge as best as possible (some sticking up is fine).

5. 5

   Slow cook on high for 10 hours or on low for 6 hours. Stir in the frozen peas and leave for a few minutes before serving the stew over mashed potatoes or with crusty bread for dunking.