Beef Stew Slow Cooker/Crock-Pot: The Ultimate Comfort Food

beef

🥗Healthier: lean cuts of beef

💰Cheaper: pork

Pork is often less expensive and can be a leaner option.

potatoes

🥗Healthier: sweet potatoes

💰Cheaper: white potatoes

Sweet potatoes are more nutritious.

Introduce the video and the recipe for beef stew in a slow cooker.

Show the three different sizes of slow cookers and choose the small one for this recipe.

Cut the beef into large chunks using a sharp knife.

Heat a large frying pan on high heat and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.

Add the beef to the pan in batches to avoid overcrowding and seal the meat on all sides.

Prepare the slow cooker by plugging it in and setting it to high.

Add the prepared vegetables (sweet or turnip, white onion, leeks, carrots, and baby potatoes) into the slow cooker.

Pour in hot beef stock and optionally add a glass of red wine.

Add bay leaves and thyme to the pot.

Add a heaping tablespoon of tomato paste to the mixture.

Once the beef is sealed, add it to the slow cooker and give it a gentle mix.

Season the stew with salt and black pepper to taste.

Cover the slow cooker and let it come to a simmer, which may take 20 minutes to 1 hour depending on the temperature of the stock.

Once simmering, turn the slow cooker to low and let it cook for approximately 3 hours with hot stock or 4-5 hours with cold stock.

After 3 hours, check if the meat is tender and the vegetables are cooked.

To thicken the stew, mix 2 heaping teaspoons of corn flour with 20 ml of cold water and add it to the stew.

Gently mix in the corn flour mixture until it thickens, using a folding technique.

Remove bay leaves if visible and clean up the pot before covering it again.

Let the stew rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve the beef stew in a bowl with plenty of rich gravy and suggest pairing with homemade crusty bread.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary