Slow Cooker Beef Stew

The magic here is the combination of balsamic vinegar and a hint of dijon mustard. That mixture, paired with the classic flavors of beef, carrots, onions, and rosemary and pulled together with some great-quality beef broth makes this sauce just incredible. Thanks to the thickening trick, it’s hearty and thick enough to eat on its own, but it also makes a great topping to rice or mashed potatoes if you need to stretch it further.

If you’re serving it on its own, you can certainly add 1-2 cups of diced potatoes to the stew as it cooks. 

Feel free to assemble this the night before and refrigerate the crock. You can then just pop the crock into the slow cooker and set it to cook. Also, you can make this skipping the browning step. I just love the flavor it imparts.

INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 lbs beef chuck, cut into 6-8 large pieces
• 1 lb carrots, cut into 1" pieces
• 8-10oz button mushrooms, halved
• 1 large sweet onion, diced (or 1 lb. pearl onions, peeled)
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 cups beef broth (I prefer bone broth, or you can use water + 4-6 tsp Beef Base)
• 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• salt and pepper, to taste
• olive or avocado oil

To thicken: 2 Tbsp arrowroot powder

INSTRUCTIONS

Brown the beef by heating a drizzle of oil in a large sauté pan. Working in batches, add a few pieces of beef to the pan and brown on all sides. When browned, transfer to the crock of a slow cooker. Repeat with remaining beef. Place carrots and mushrooms in with the beef.

Add onion to the pan you browned the beef in. Stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add balsamic, Dijon, and broth to the pan and stir until well combined. Pour the whole mixture into the slow cooker over the beef, carrots, and mushrooms. Place rosemary on top.

Cook stew in slow cooker on HIGH for 3-4 hours, or LOW on 7-8 hours. Shred beef into the broth mixture. In a small bowl, whisk together arrowroot and 2 Tbsp water. Pour into the slow cooker and stir to combine. It should almost immediately thicken. Serve when you're ready!

If you prefer not to make this in a slow cooker:
You can make it in a Dutch oven using the same method--cook everything in the Dutch oven, not a sauté pan. Bake it at 300 degrees for about 3 hours, or simmer it on the stove top for 2-3 hours.

Serve stew.

Source: One Lovely Life