Slow-Cookers are a busy persons best friend, I actually have 7 of my own in various sizes-you can never have too many 😉 They are also great for large gatherings.
Slow-Cooker Tips
- Always brown your meat ahead of time, it adds flavor.
- Make it ahead for an easy week night meal; Put it in the fridge overnight, take it out and plug in. A super tasty supper will be waiting for you when you get home!
- Slow-Cookers are great to hold foods hot at a party, even if you cooked them on the stove.
- When cooking meatballs in your slow-cooker don’t mix for a couple of hours until they have had time to set.
- If you have too much sauce, make a slurry to thicken it up. Don’t add flour directly to the slow-cooker. Add flour or corn-starch to a bowl with a little hot water mix well and then add to your sauce to thicken it up.
Winey Beef Stew
2 cups of red wine, make sure it’s something you can enjoy as you cook as well!
2-3 lbs beef stew meat or a large sirloin steak cut into pieces
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 Tbsp Flour
4 strips of bacon, diced
6 russet potatoes, peeled & quartered
1 lb carrots, peeled & quartered
1 onion, peeled & rough chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled & minced
4 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
1 can tomato paste
4 cups of beef broth
1 cup of frozen peas
- Dust beef with flour and brown in oil on medium high. Â
- Remove the beef and brown bacon until crispy and then remove.
- Add the potatoes, carrots and onions to the pan with the wine and cook for 15 minutes. This will reduce the wine to a syrupy consistency.
- Add everything you’ve cooked and the all remaining ingredients to your slow-cooker and cook all day on low (at least 6-7hrs, more is ok). Remove the cover the last hour of cooking.
- 15 minutes before serving stir in your peas.
Enjoy!
-Angie