Crockpot Beef Stew

• servings: 6 servings
• active time: 20 minutes
• total time: 8 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 lbs stewing beef (cubed into bite sized pieces)

1/4 cup flour (for the beef)

1/4 cup vegetable oil (for frying)

4 carrots (chopped)

4 celery stalks (chopped)

1 medium sized yellow onion (chopped)

5 small russet potatoes (chopped)

5 garlic cloves (minced)

1 cup red wine (cabernet sauvignon)

2 tbsp worcestershire

1 cup tomato sauce

4 cups beef stock (reduced sodium)

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 handful fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp black pepper

fresh parsley (chopped, optional for topping)

2 cups flour

3/4 cup whole milk or 2%

6 tbsp cold butter

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)

1/3 cup green onions (chopped)

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Begin by adding your stewing beef to a large bowl. Add your flour and toss to combine, ensuring all pieces have been fully covered.

To a large pan, add your vegetable oil and once hot, add your beef and brown on each side. Work in batches if you need, to avoid crowding the pan. This should only take 2-3 minutes, don't worry about cooking the beef all the way through.

Remove the beef using a slotted spoon and set aside.

To the same pan, reduce heat to low and add your wine. Scrap all the bits from the bottom of the pan and let simmer for 1-2 minutes and turn off the heat. Set aside while you prepare your other ingredients.

Chop your carrots, celery, onions, and potatoes into similar sized pieces, about 1/2 inch. Set aside.

To your crockpot, add your beef, red wine, carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, garlic, tomato sauce, beef stock, worcestershire, bay leaf, and thyme. Mix to combine.

Set your crockpot to low, and cook for 8-9 hours. Alternatively, you can set to high for 4-5 hours.

During the last 30-40 minutes of cook time, add your flour and butter to a small saucepan and cook on low, whisking continuously until you have created a smooth roux, this should take about 3-4 minutes. Add the roux to your crockpot, stir to combine, and let cook for an additional 30 minutes. Taste before serving in case you need any additional salt/pepper.

Top with fresh parsley and serve along side homemade biscuits or mashed potatoes.

Biscuts:

Preheat your oven to 450 °F.

In a large bowl add your flour, baking powder, garlic powder and salt.

Using a pasty knife, cheese grater, or fork, add in your cold cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using your hands mix together the flour and butter until a coarse meal starts to form and the butter is combined evenly.

Add the milk and begin mixing until a dough forms. If the dough is too sticky you can add a tbsp of flour at a time, and if it's too dry, you can add a tbsp of milk at a time.

Add the dough to a clean working surface and fold in your cheddar cheese and green onions and knead for an additional 30-45 seconds, until a smooth ball forms.

Roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thick, slice into equal pieces and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, just until golden and flaky.