Beef Stew Attempt #1
Started with this recipe and made adjustments: https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-country-french-beef-stew/42e51c4a-e8b7-450a-8212-c965c2c926f8
1 lb of carrots cut into pieces of similar size and thickness
2 lbs of tiny yellow potatoes
1 onion cut into chunks or quarters
4 slices of bacon cut roughly chopped
1.5 lbs stew meat
1/4 t ground basil
1/4 t dried thyme leaves
2T tomato paste, reconstituted
1c minus 2T water
1.5c low sodium beef broth
pepper to taste
1 t olive oil, if needed
Put carrots and potatoes in crock pot. Put tomato paste in a measuring cup and fill with water. Stir with whisk or fork till combined. Stir in dried herbs and pepper. Set aside for a few minutes.
Brown the bacon over medium heat till most of fat has rendered. Use slotted spoon to move it to crock. Drain all but 1T of bacon fat off. In my case, there wasn't even 1T, so I supplemented with a splash of olive oil. Brown stew meat on all sides. Add the onion and cook 1-2 more minutes. Use slotted spoon to move beef and onion to crock. Pour tomato mixture over the top, add the beef broth, cover and cook on high for 2 hours, then turn to low till it's done.
I plan to make a browned roux to thicken it, but that won't happen till the last hour or so of cooking. I'm expecting it to be ready to eat about 6pm, so about 5pm, I'll make the roux with the pan drippings and flour.
ETA: there weren't enough pan drippings, so I added some butter. Equal amounts of fat & flour equals roux. The stew itself tasted under-seasoned, so I added dried herbs, pepper, and salt to the roux. Cooked till it was very brown, then added some beef broth. When it was thick and smooth, spooned it into the stew.
I'm going to let it cook till 6, then eat. The meat, potatoes, and carrots are already done, but I want to give the roux time to permeate and thicken the broth a bit. My one main concern is that I really can't smell it unless I'm standing right over the crock. I was expecting the fragrance to permeate my house!
1 lb of carrots cut into pieces of similar size and thickness
2 lbs of tiny yellow potatoes
1 onion cut into chunks or quarters
4 slices of bacon cut roughly chopped
1.5 lbs stew meat
1/4 t ground basil
1/4 t dried thyme leaves
2T tomato paste, reconstituted
1c minus 2T water
1.5c low sodium beef broth
pepper to taste
1 t olive oil, if needed
Put carrots and potatoes in crock pot. Put tomato paste in a measuring cup and fill with water. Stir with whisk or fork till combined. Stir in dried herbs and pepper. Set aside for a few minutes.
Brown the bacon over medium heat till most of fat has rendered. Use slotted spoon to move it to crock. Drain all but 1T of bacon fat off. In my case, there wasn't even 1T, so I supplemented with a splash of olive oil. Brown stew meat on all sides. Add the onion and cook 1-2 more minutes. Use slotted spoon to move beef and onion to crock. Pour tomato mixture over the top, add the beef broth, cover and cook on high for 2 hours, then turn to low till it's done.
I plan to make a browned roux to thicken it, but that won't happen till the last hour or so of cooking. I'm expecting it to be ready to eat about 6pm, so about 5pm, I'll make the roux with the pan drippings and flour.
ETA: there weren't enough pan drippings, so I added some butter. Equal amounts of fat & flour equals roux. The stew itself tasted under-seasoned, so I added dried herbs, pepper, and salt to the roux. Cooked till it was very brown, then added some beef broth. When it was thick and smooth, spooned it into the stew.
I'm going to let it cook till 6, then eat. The meat, potatoes, and carrots are already done, but I want to give the roux time to permeate and thicken the broth a bit. My one main concern is that I really can't smell it unless I'm standing right over the crock. I was expecting the fragrance to permeate my house!