Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Name: Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 480 min
Total time: 500 min
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients: 5 1/3 oz, stew meat, 1-inch cubes Beef (Chuck, Raw); 2 teaspoons Wheat Flour (All-Purpose, Enriched); to taste Salt and black pepper; 1/3 cup, or water with little bouillon Low-sodium beef broth; 1/4 clove, clove, finely chopped Garlic; 1/2 medium, sliced Carrots (Mature); 1/2 medium, diced Russet Potato; 3 tablespoons, chopped Onions (Yellow); 1 tablespoon, sliced Celery; a pinch, optional Dried herbs (bay leaf, basil, oregano)

Beef chuck, potatoes and carrots simmered all day in a slow cooker — about 487 calories and 32 g protein per serving.

487kcal per serving

32.2gprotein

28gcarbs

27.6gfat

407 mgsodium

Sodium is calculated without salt added to taste.

Estimated; may vary.

Prep20 min

Cook480 min

Total500 min

Makes1 serving

DifficultyMedium

Slow cooker beef stew, the plain and dependable kind: cubes of chuck tossed in flour, then left for the day with potatoes, carrots, onion, celery and beef broth. A serving works out to around 487 calories with 32 g of protein, and the potato and carrot supply most of the carbohydrate.

The flour is the whole method. It coats the raw meat before anything else goes in, and over eight hours it dissolves into the juices and thickens them into gravy. Skip it and you get boiled beef in thin broth. Do not add extra liquid; the vegetables release plenty as they cook.

The recipe is written for one serving, but a slow cooker needs at least four servings’ worth of food to reach a safe cooking temperature promptly, so cook four and refrigerate or freeze the rest. Stew improves overnight. Serve with crusty bread or over egg noodles.

Ingredients

Servings

Beef (Chuck, Raw)5 1/3 oz, stew meat, 1-inch cubes (151 g)
Wheat Flour (All-Purpose, Enriched)2 teaspoons (5 g)
Salt and black pepperto taste
Low-sodium beef broth1/3 cup, or water with little bouillon (80 g)
Garlic1/4 clove, clove, finely chopped
Carrots (Mature)1/2 medium, sliced (31 g)
Russet Potato1/2 medium, diced (107 g)
Onions (Yellow)3 tablespoons, chopped (18 g)
Celery1 tablespoon, sliced (6.5 g)
Dried herbs (bay leaf, basil, oregano)a pinch, optional

Cook’s tips

Cut the potatoes the same size as the meat, about 1 inch, so they are done at the same time without falling apart.
Keep the lid on. Every time you lift it the cooker loses heat and adds 15 to 20 minutes to the cooking time.
Make at least four servings: a slow cooker that is less than half full heats too slowly to be safe. Cool leftovers within 2 hours, refrigerate in a covered container up to 3 days, and reheat to 165°F.
Contains: wheat (all-purpose flour).
Gluten-free: coat the beef in cornstarch or a gluten-free flour blend instead of wheat flour. Naturally dairy-free as written.

Method

Wash your hands and all surfaces before you start.
Put the beef cubes in the slow cooker. Mix the flour, salt and pepper and toss with the meat until coated.
Add the broth, garlic, carrots, potatoes, onion, celery and herbs. Stir once.
Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours or on high 4 to 6 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
Stir, remove the bay leaf and check that the stew has reached at least 165°F before serving.
Serve in a deep bowl. Cool leftovers within 2 hours.

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