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Best Beef Stew in a Crock Pot

This Beef Stew may be made in the Crock-Pot or on the stove top in a large Dutch oven, but for the best results, slow cook your stew on LOW; it should simmer lightly. Boiling will make the beef stringy and dry, will ruin the flavor of the broth and make the vegetables mushy - the results will be like stew from a can. Most Crock-Pots have low and high settings, which will allow you to set the desired temperature.
Cook Time6 hours
Total Time6 hours
Course: Main
Author: Hip Foodie Mom

Ingredients

  • 1- 2 pounds of lean stew BEEF depending on how much you want or beef chuck shoulder roast, cut into 1 inch cubes (this cut is also called chuck shoulder pot roast and chuck roast boneless). Stew Beef is already cut for you!
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 1/2 lb. large carrots cut into 1/2-inch thick coins
  • 2- 3 large potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Half bag of frozen peas
  • Handful of broccoli; chopped optional
  • 3-4 garlic cloves minced
  • Onion powder for sprinkling
  • 1- 1 1/2 tablespoon Dry oregano
  • 1-2 tablespoons Basil fresh or dry; if using fresh basil, throw a handful of basil leaves in there (again, it's up to you)
  • 1 quart beef broth if you don't have beef broth, chicken or vegetable stock works just fine too
  • Water as needed
  • 1/4 cup ketchup optional
  • 4 tablespoons flour; you will use this initially to coat the meat and some at the end combined with water and added towards the end to thicken the stew
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Sprinkle the beef cubes lightly with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and flour for extra flavor during browning.
  • When using a Crock-Pot for beef stew, for extra flavor, brown the floured beef cubes in olive oil before transferring them to the Crock-Pot OR if you don't have time, just throw them in the crock pot as is.
  • Chop up all of your veggies and place them into the crockpot
  • Add the entire quart of beef broth into the crock pot (covering all of the meat and veggies; add more if you need to)
  • Add seasoning: oregano, basil, more onion powder (if desired), salt and pepper; MIX
  • Add the ketchup (if desired); MIX again
  • Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours (you can cook on HIGH for about 4 hours); the longer you cook the stew, the meat gets more tender
  • For a thicker STEW, combine 1-2 tbsp of flour OR corn starch with a 1/4 cup of water. Stir until smooth and then stir into the stew towards the end and cook for another 30 min to an hour.)
  • Serve with brown rice or bread, ENJOY!