Slow-Cooker Hearty Beef Stew
By America's Test KitchenPublished on September 26, 2011
Time
6 to 7 hours on high, or 10 to 11 hours on low
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
5 pounds boneless beef chuck-eye roast, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces¼ cup vegetable oil Salt and pepper 4 onions, chopped fine1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste 2 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth 3 tablespoons soy sauce 2 bay leaves 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces1 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme 2 tablespoons Minute tapioca 2 cups frozen peas, thawed
Instructions
- BROWN MEAT Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook half of beef until well browned all over, about 8 minutes. Transfer to slow-cooker insert and repeat with additional 1 tablespoon oil and remaining beef.
- BROWN ONIONS Add onions, 1 tablespoon oil, and ¼ teaspoon salt to now-empty skillet and cook until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until paste begins to darken, about 2 minutes. Slowly stir in broth, soy sauce, and bay leaves and bring to boil. Transfer to slow cooker.
- WRAP VEGETABLES Toss carrots, parsnips, potatoes, remaining oil, ½ teaspoon thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Place vegetables on one side of large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Fold foil over vegetables to form packet that will fit in slow cooker; crimp edges to seal. Stir tapioca into slow cooker; set vegetable packet on top of beef.
- SLOW COOK Cover and cook on high until beef is tender, 6 to 7 hours (or cook on low 10 to 11 hours). Discard bay leaves and transfer vegetable packet to bowl. Carefully open packet (watch for steam) and return vegetables and any accumulated juices to slow cooker. Stir in remaining thyme and peas, cover, and let stand until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Time
6 to 7 hours on high, or 10 to 11 hours on lowYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
5 pounds boneless beef chuck-eye roast, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
¼ cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
4 onions, chopped fine
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons Minute tapioca
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
5 pounds boneless beef chuck-eye roast, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
¼ cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
4 onions, chopped fine
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons Minute tapioca
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
5 pounds boneless beef chuck-eye roast, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
¼ cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
4 onions, chopped fine
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons Minute tapioca
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Browning the meat before adding it to the slow cooker made for more flavorful beef as well as broth in our Slow-Cooker Hearty Beef Stew. Soy sauce and tomato paste browned in a skillet enhanced the meaty flavor even further.
To ensure the vegetables cooked gently and didn’t turn to mush, we wrapped them in a foil packet and placed them on top of the meat in the slow cooker. We finished them in the broth toward the end to let them soak up flavor.
Instructions
- BROWN MEAT Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook half of beef until well browned all over, about 8 minutes. Transfer to slow-cooker insert and repeat with additional 1 tablespoon oil and remaining beef.
- BROWN ONIONS Add onions, 1 tablespoon oil, and ¼ teaspoon salt to now-empty skillet and cook until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until paste begins to darken, about 2 minutes. Slowly stir in broth, soy sauce, and bay leaves and bring to boil. Transfer to slow cooker.
- WRAP VEGETABLES Toss carrots, parsnips, potatoes, remaining oil, ½ teaspoon thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Place vegetables on one side of large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Fold foil over vegetables to form packet that will fit in slow cooker; crimp edges to seal. Stir tapioca into slow cooker; set vegetable packet on top of beef.
- SLOW COOK Cover and cook on high until beef is tender, 6 to 7 hours (or cook on low 10 to 11 hours). Discard bay leaves and transfer vegetable packet to bowl. Carefully open packet (watch for steam) and return vegetables and any accumulated juices to slow cooker. Stir in remaining thyme and peas, cover, and let stand until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Key Equipment
Keep Exploring
My Rating
This is a members' feature.
0 Comments