Jan's Favorite Beef Stew

Prep Time: 25 min    Total Time: 6-8 hrs in slow-cooker

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 cup beef broth

1½ cups red wine

4 strips hickory smoked bacon, cut into small pieces

1 medium onion, halved and sliced

3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 large parsnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (or 2 red potatoes; see tip below)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1Tbsp. olive oil

2 lbs. cubed stew beef (chuck or round)

3 Tbsp. flour

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 Tbsp. dried thyme

1 bay leaf

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

MAKING IT:

Add beef broth and 1 cup of red wine (reserve ½ cup wine) to slow-cooker set to low. 

In large non-stick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Remove bacon and put into slow-cooker, add onion, carrots and parsnip to skillet; sauté over medium heat.  After vegetables are starting to brown, add garlic; sauté only until garlic softens.  Add vegetables to slow-cooker.                                                              

Add olive oil to skillet; then add beef and flour. Brown beef over medium heat (a crust will form on bottom of skillet, this is good).  Add beef to slow-cooker.  

Deglaze the pan by adding remaining ½ cup wine. Simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to loosen flavorful brown bits from the bottom of the pan (add a bit of water if needed).  Add contents of the pan to slow-cooker, along with tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf and ground pepper; stir well.  

Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours (stir occasionally).  Add more ground pepper and salt, if desired.  Remove bay leaf before serving.

Serves 8

Nutrition Information per serving (about 1¼ cups): 290 Calories; 10 g Total Fat; (3.5 g Sat Fat); 80 mg Chol; 370 mg Sodium; 13 g Total Carb; (3 g Fiber; 4 g Sugars); 29 g Protein; 20% DV Iron

TIPS:

Look for bacon that is natural, uncured and hickory smoked for best flavor.

If substituting potatoes for parsnips, cut 1-2 red potatoes into 1-inch chunks. Add potatoes to slow-cooker during last 2 hours of cooking. Red potatoes are ideal for stews because they hold their shape during cooking.

STORY OF JAN'S FAVORITE BEEF STEW

My favorite beef stew recipe comes from my Aunt Janet. Raised during the Depression and educated during WW2, my Aunt Janet had inner strength and compassion that never wavered in all of her 99 years. She was always swapping recipes, especially with me and my Mom (her “sister” by marriage). Although I treasure handwritten recipe cards, this one happens to be typed. That's because Aunt Janet knew we had trouble deciphering her handwriting (she would laugh about this often!). Over the years, my Aunt Janet also gave me a wonderful collection of Peter Pots handcrafted stoneware (shown in photo), which I treasure and use all the time. If you want an amazingly flavorful beef stew recipe that is made in a Crock Pot (aka slow-cooker), this one is for you.