2lbsbaby red potatoes, peeled & cut into 1/2-inch pieces, approx. 2 cups
4stalks celery, chopped, approx. 1 1/2 cups
4-5carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, approx. 2 cups
1medium yellow or white onion, roughly chopped
2Tbspextra-virgin olive oil
1 3/4lbsstew beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
3garlic cloves, minced
2Tbspsalted butter
2cupslow sodium beef broth
3/4cupred wine
3/4cupGuinness
2Tbsptomato paste
1Tbspwhite sugar
1Tbspsoy sauce
1/2Tbspdried thyme
2bay leaves
1Tbspcornstarch + 1 Tbsp water
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Place the chopped vegetables into the crockpot. Rinse the meat and pat dry with paper towels. Salt and pepper the beef.
In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, heat olive oil at medium to medium-high heat. Add beef to the pan and brown on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute, do not burn the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the beef and add to the crockpot on top of the vegetables.
Turn the skillet back up to medium heat. To the skillet, add butter until it's melted. Add beef broth, red wine, beer, tomato paste, sugar, soy sauce and thyme. Using a wooden spoon, stir the liquids as well as scrape the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, allow to boil for at least two minutes. Then lower heat to low and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add cornstarch and water and stir together.
Pour broth mixture into the crockpot over vegetables and beef. Add bay leaves and cook on high for 4-6 hours or 6 to 9 hours on low.
Skim the fat from the stew, if needed, before serving.
Cook's notes:
You can buy a chuck roast or round cut (except top round). I actually looked this up on this site in the store on my iPhone. But then, I opted to buy stew beef already cut up by my grocer's meat department because I needed less than 2 pounds.