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Slow-Cooker Hearty Beef and Vegetable Pot Pie

By Joe Gitter

Published on October 16, 2019

Time

7 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high

Yield

Serves 6

Slow cooker size

5 to 7 quarts

Slow-Cooker Hearty Beef and Vegetable Pot Pie

Ingredients

3 pounds boneless beef chuck-eye roast, pulled apart at seams, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch piecesSalt and pepper ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 12 ounces portobello mushroom caps, gills removed, caps halved and sliced ¼ inch thick4 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced ½ inch thick½ cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons tomato paste 4 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried3 cups beef broth, plus extra as needed½ cup dry red wine 2 cups frozen pearl onions 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 (9½ by 9-inch) sheet puff pastry, thawed1 ½ cups frozen peas, thawed¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Before You Begin

To thaw frozen puff pastry, let it sit either in the refrigerator for 24 hours or on the counter for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Instructions

  1. 1. Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of beef on all sides, about 8 minutes; transfer to slow cooker with remaining uncooked beef.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms, carrots, and ½ teaspoon salt, cover, and cook until vegetables are softened and mushrooms have released their liquid, about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until vegetables are dry and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in flour, tomato paste, garlic, and 2 teaspoons thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in 1 cup broth and wine, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps; transfer to slow cooker.
  3. Stir remaining 2 cups broth, onions, and soy sauce into slow cooker. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 7 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.
  4. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll puff pastry into 12 by 9-inch rectangle on lightly floured counter. Using paring knife, cut pastry in half lengthwise, then into thirds widthwise to create 6 pieces. Cut four 1-inch slits in each piece and arrange upside down on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush pieces with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon thyme and pinch salt, and bake until puffed and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let pastry cool on sheet.
  5. Stir peas into filling and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Adjust consistency with extra hot broth as needed. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top individual portions with pastry before serving.
Slow-Cooker Hearty Beef and Vegetable Pot Pie
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Elle Simone.

Slow-Cooker Hearty Beef and Vegetable Pot Pie

Headshot of Joe Gitter
By Joe Gitter
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Time

7 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high

Yield

Serves 6

Slow cooker size

5 to 7 quarts

Ingredients

Ingredients

Ingredients

Why This Recipe Works

To make our version of beef pot pie in a slow cooker with all the nuances of a slow-simmered beef stew, we used beef chuck roast, which we've found to be the best cut for stews, and added a significant amount of vegetables. To deepen the meaty flavor of our vegetable-rich pie, we made sure to brown half of the beef to develop a nice fond before softening our vegetables. Tomato paste, garlic, and soy sauce enhanced the savory notes of the beef, and flour helped thicken the filling; we deglazed the pan with wine and a little of the broth to capture all of the flavorful browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. We used a simple topping here, brushing it with olive oil and sprinkling it with thyme before baking it.

Before You Begin

To thaw frozen puff pastry, let it sit either in the refrigerator for 24 hours or on the counter for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Instructions

  1. 1. Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of beef on all sides, about 8 minutes; transfer to slow cooker with remaining uncooked beef.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms, carrots, and ½ teaspoon salt, cover, and cook until vegetables are softened and mushrooms have released their liquid, about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until vegetables are dry and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in flour, tomato paste, garlic, and 2 teaspoons thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in 1 cup broth and wine, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps; transfer to slow cooker.
  3. Stir remaining 2 cups broth, onions, and soy sauce into slow cooker. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 7 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.
  4. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll puff pastry into 12 by 9-inch rectangle on lightly floured counter. Using paring knife, cut pastry in half lengthwise, then into thirds widthwise to create 6 pieces. Cut four 1-inch slits in each piece and arrange upside down on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush pieces with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon thyme and pinch salt, and bake until puffed and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let pastry cool on sheet.
  5. Stir peas into filling and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Adjust consistency with extra hot broth as needed. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top individual portions with pastry before serving.

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