Ingredients
2 - 3 pounds stew meat, beef cubes, or roast you cut up yourself
black pepper, garlic salt, celery salt (to taste, 1/2 -1 tsp each)
1/4 cup flour
3-6 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons cold butter, divided
2 cups yellow onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cabernet sauvignon, or merlot. See notes.
6-8 cups beef broth
2 beef bouillon cubes or tsps powdered bouillon
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
5 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 lb. baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved or quartered
2 bay leaves
1 cup frozen veggies (peas, corn, beans)
Barley or small soup noodles (optional)
1/4 cup Cold Water + 3 tablespoons Corn Starch, Optional
2-3 drops Gravy Master, *Optional*- Adds a richer, darker color.
Instructions
Cut the beef into 1-inch cubes and toss out any big chunks of fat (the marbled stuff is fine — that’s flavor!).
Season the beef with black pepper, garlic salt, and celery salt. Give it a toss to coat. Then sprinkle the flour over the meat and toss again so it’s lightly coated.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meat in batches — don’t overcrowd the pan — about 45 seconds per side. Add a little more oil if you need to. Once browned, move the meat to the slow cooker.
Turn the heat down to medium, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the same skillet, and toss in the onions. Cook them for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add a splash of wine (optional but recommended!) and use a silicone spatula to scrape up all those tasty brown bits stuck to the pan — that’s where the flavor lives. Pour the onion/garlic mixture into the slow cooker with the meat.
Add the rest of the ingredients except the peas, cornstarch slurry, and cold butter.
Cover and cook on low for 7½ to 8 hours or high for 3½ to 4 hours, until the veggies are soft and the potatoes are fork-tender.
About 15 minutes before it’s done, stir in the peas. Fish out the bay leaves and rosemary stem and toss them.
Optional (but worth it!): If you want a thicker stew, mix ¼ cup of cold water with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Slowly stir that into the stew. It’ll keep thickening as it rests.
Once everything is done, turn off the heat and swirl in 2 tablespoons of cold butter for an extra-smooth finish.
Optional final touch: add a few drops of Gravy Master for deeper color and flavor if you’d like!