Country Beef and Vegetable Stew
Serve this country stew with French bread or biscuits and a tossed or steamed vegetable salad.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 (3-pound) boneless beef chuck roast
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 large onion, peeled and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 4 large potatoes, scrubbed and diced
- 2 medium turnips, scrubbed and diced
- 1 (2-pound) bag baby carrots
- 1 (1-pound) bag frozen pearl onions, thawed
- Optional: ¼ cup butter, softened
- Optional: ¼ cup all-purpose flour
Add the celery, roast, salt, pepper, onion, garlic, broth, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, marjoram, potatoes, turnips, carrots, and pearl onions to the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
Optional: If you wish to thicken the pan juices, use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat and vegetables to a serving platter; cover and keep warm. Increase the temperature on the slow cooker to high. Skim and discard any fat from the pan juices.
In a bowl, use a fork to blend together the butter and flour, and then whisk about a cup of the pan juices into the butter and flour. When the remaining pan juices begin to bubble around the edges, slowly whisk in the butter-flour mixture. Cook and stir for 10 minutes or until the mixture is thickened and the flour taste is cooked out of the sauce. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired.
Carefully stir the cooked vegetables into the thickened sauce. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and fold into the sauce and vegetables. Pour the thickened pan juices and vegetables into a tureen or serve directly from the slow cooker.
Steamed Vegetable Salad
Prepare a 12-ounce package of steam-in-the-bag frozen green beans according to package directions. When they're done, transfer them to a serving bowl and, before you've added the vegetables back into the thickened sauce in Step 2, mix some of the cooked potatoes, carrots, and pearl onions into the steamed beans. Dress the vegetables with red-wine vinaigrette. Salt and pepper to taste.
