Brown the meat before adding it to the slow cooker for the richest flavor in this Tuscan-inspired slow cooker stew. Make sure you don’t overcrowd the meat in the pan, or it will sweat instead of brown. Add a handful of fingerling potatoes to the slow cooker at the beginning of cooking or serve over whole-grain polenta, if desired.
Active time: 20 minutes Total time: 9 hours, 20 minutes
Slow Cooker Italian Beef Stew Ingredients Directions Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan until very hot. Add the beef and cook, stirring once, until the meat is well-browned, 8 minutes. Spoon the beef into a slow cooker. Wipe out the saute pan and return it to medium-high heat. Add the remaining oil. Add the onions and cook until they are beginning to brown, 8 minutes. Add the flour and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and slowly add the broth, scraping up the browned bits on bottom of the pan. Pour into the slow cooker. Add the tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on low for 9–10 hours or until the beef is very tender. Skim any liquid fat floating on the top of the stew and discard. Serve, sprinkled with basil. Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 cup/125g Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 452; Total Fat: 17g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 9g; Cholesterol: 134mg; Sodium: 534mg; Carbohydrate: 18g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 53g
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