Tender chunks of beef braised in a rich red wine gravy. A family favourite and perfect for your next dinner party!
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time5 hourshrs
Course: Main Course
Servings: 6
EQUIPMENT
6 quart slow cooker
Ingredients
3tbsp canola oilor other oil with a high smoke point
3lbs or 1.5kgbeef chuck stewcut into 2 inch pieces
5slicesbaconchopped
1largewhite onionchopped
3carrotspeeled and chopped
4clovesgarlicminced
1/4cupflour
2tbsptomato paste
3cupsred winea French burgundy if possible
2cupsbeef stock
2bay leaves
1.5tspdried thyme
1.5cupspearl onions
2tbspbutter
2 cupsmushroomsquartered
1/4cupfresh parsleychopped
Instructions
Season beef with salt. Place oil in a sauce pan over high heat. Working in small batches, brown the beef on 2 sides. As meat is browned, set it aside. Once all meat is browned, turn down heat add a splash of wine to the pan and deglaze making sure to scrape up the bits with a wooden spoon. Pour the pan drippings into your slow cooker and add the browned beef.
Return the saucepan to medium heat, add the bacon and sauté for several minutes until cooked through, then add the onions, carrots and garlic and continue sautéing for 2-3 minutes.
Sprinkle the flour and spoon the tomato paste over the onion mixture and stir to combine. Using a rubber spatula, add this mix to the slow cooker.
Next add to the slow cooker the wine, beef stock, bay leaves, thyme and some salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly and set slow cooker on high heat for 5 hours.
At the 4 hour point, sauté the mushrooms in butter until cooked. Add the mushrooms and pearl onions to the slow cooker, stir and continue cooking for another hour or until meat is very tender. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired and garnish with chopped parsley.