Rich Slow Cooker Beef Stew

 

When the cold snap hits, nothing beats a steaming bowl of hearty beef stew. Last weekend, I simmered a big pot in the slow cooker, paired it with freshly baked focaccia, and it was pure comfort.

Like many, I love potatoes in stew… but not in the stew. They always turn mealy and mushy. My solution? Keep the potatoes out of the pot and serve the rich, flavorful stew over a perfectly baked potato instead. The contrast of tender beef and veggies with that fluffy, hot potato is unexpectedly delicious and satisfying.

Rich Slow Cooker Beef Stew

4 strips thick-sliced bacon
2 lbs. stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (16-oz.) bag baby carrots
1 large Melissa’s organic yellow onion, diced
4-6 large crimini mushrooms, quartered
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 c. beef broth
4 T. tomato paste
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 t. dried thyme
2 t. dried rosemary
2 t. smoked paprika
2 t. espresso powder
1 t. caraway seeds
1 t. Montreal Steak Seasoning
2 bay leaves
¼ c. flour (for thickening)
Salt and pepper, to taste

 Fry bacon in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat; drain bacon on a paper towel-lined plate and crumble.

Season beef with copious amounts of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add beef to the skillet in which you cooked the bacon and cook until evenly browned, about 2-3 minutes. Remove beef to a 6-qt slow cooker and top with the crumbled bacon. In the same pan, sauté onions, mushrooms, and garlic until onions are translucent. Stir in beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire to deglaze the pan, and then pour into slow cooker on top of the beef and bacon.

Add potatoes, carrots, onion, mushrooms, and garlic. Stir in thyme, rosemary, paprika, espresso powder, caraway seeds, steak seasoning, and bay leaves until well combined; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup stew broth. Stir in flour mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until thickened.

Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

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