A really good Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 3 cups beef stock/broth (, low sodium)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup plain flour / all-purpose flour ((Note 1 for gluten-free option))
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1.25kg/ 2.5lb chuck beef (, cut into large 4cm/ 1.6" cubes, excess fat trimmed - start with around 1.4kg/2.8lb (Note 2))
• 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt ((halve for table salt, +50% for flakes))
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 large onion (, halved then sliced into 1cm / 0.4" slices)
• 2 garlic cloves (, finely minced)
• 2 cups red wine ((I use pinot noir), substitute 0% alcohol wine or more beef stock (Note 3))
• 1 beef stock cube ((bouillon cube), crumbled (Note 4))
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves (, preferably fresh else dry)
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme ( or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
• 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt ((halve for table salt, +50% for flakes))
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3 carrots (, peeled, cut into equal size chunks ~ 1 x 3cm (0.4 x 1.2"))
• 2 celery sticks (, cut into 4cm / 1.6" pieces (cut thicker end in half horizontally so they're all about the same width))
• 400g / 14oz small cocktail potatoes ((or halve or quarter larger ones) (Note 5))
• 1 cup frozen peas ((still frozen fine))
• Mashed potato
• Finely chopped parsley (, for optional garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Mix 1 cup stock with tomato paste and flour in slow cooker, then mix in remaining stock. Brown beef, put in slow cooker. Sauté onion and garlic, reduce wine by 75%, add to slow cooker. Add herbs, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, stir, then add carrot, celery and potato. Slow cook 10 hours on low or 6 hours on high, serve over mash!

2. 2

   Sauce thickener first - Pour about 1 cup of beef stock in the slow cooker with the flour and tomato paste. Mix to combine until lump free using a rubber spatula - it will be a thin batter consistency. Pour in remaining beef stock and mix (if you see pesky lumps, use a whisk).

3. 3

   Sear beef - Sprinkle and toss the beef with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over high heat. Brown the beef aggressively in 2 or 3 batches (don't crowd the pan). Transfer straight into the slow cooker, leaving the fat behind.

4. 4

   Sauté onion - Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until softened. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until it's golden and smells amazing.

5. 5

   Massively reduce red wine (flavour flavour flavour!) - Pour the wine in slowly (careful, it will sputter). Simmer rapidly, stirring every now and then, until reduced but 75%, about 1/2 cup. Pour wine and onions into slow cooker.

6. 6

   Everything else - Add the stock cube, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir well, then add the carrots, celery and potato. Do your best to stir again (it's hard, there's a lot of stuff!)

7. 7

   Slow cook - Push any exposed beef under the liquid, any veg above the liquid will mostly be submerged by the end (liquid level rises plus meat / veg soften). Slow cook on LOW for 10 hours or HIGH for 6 hours. (Note 6) The meat should be fork-tender.

8. 8

   Finish and serve - Stir peas in, leave for 2 minutes to thaw and heat up (they're already cooked). Serve stew over mash!