Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Loaded with tender pieces of beef and plenty of veggies, this economical dish gets an extra hit of flavor from red wine and herbs. The prep work is simple -- just sear the beef and toss everything in the slow cooker while you get on with your day! This recipe makes 6 servings.

PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 8 hours 0 minutes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2" pieces
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 cup dry red wine (use extra stock if you'd like to make this alcohol free)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 large yellow onion, cut into chunks
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch diagonal slices
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, diced into 1/2" pieces
1/4 cup all purpose flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions
Add flour to a resealable gallon bag and add beef pieces. Close the bag and toss to coat the beef with the flour.

Heat oil a large skillet to medium-high on the stove top. Add beef pieces, and sear, flipping every two minutes so that all sides of the beef get browned. You may have to do this in batches as you don't want to overcrowd the pan. Once the outside of the beef is seared, remove and add to your slow cooker.

Add stock, wine (if using), tomato paste, Worcestershire, thyme, garlic, onion, carrots and potatoes to the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper. Stir, cover your slow cooker and cook for 7-8 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low.

If you'd like a thicker stew, once completely cooked, remove a cup of the liquid from the stew and whisk in 1/4 cup flour until there are no lumps in the liquid. Pour back into the slow cooker, stir to combine and cook for 15 more minutes.

Garnish with parsley and serve.