A really good Slow Cooker Beef Stew

What you need

Ingredients

• 3 cups beef stock/broth (, low sodium)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup plain flour / all-purpose flour ((Note 1 for gluten-free option))
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1.25kg/ 2.5lb chuck beef (, cut into large 4cm/ 1.6" cubes, excess fat trimmed - start with around 1.4kg/2.8lb (Note 2))
• 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt ((halve for table salt, +50% for flakes))
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 large onion (, halved then sliced into 1cm / 0.4" slices)
• 2 garlic cloves (, finely minced)
• 2 cups red wine ((I use pinot noir), substitute 0% alcohol wine or more beef stock (Note 3))
• 1 beef stock cube ((bouillon cube), crumbled (Note 4))
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves (, preferably fresh else dry)
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme ( or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
• 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt ((halve for table salt, +50% for flakes))
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3 carrots (, peeled, cut into equal size chunks ~ 1 x 3cm (0.4 x 1.2"))
• 2 celery sticks (, cut into 4cm / 1.6" pieces (cut thicker end in half horizontally so they're all about the same width))
• 400g / 14oz small cocktail potatoes ((or halve or quarter larger ones) (Note 5))
• 1 cup frozen peas ((still frozen fine))
• Mashed potato
• Finely chopped parsley (, for optional garnish)

In the correct order

Instructions

1. Mix 1 cup stock with tomato paste and flour in slow cooker, then mix in remaining stock. Brown beef, put in slow cooker. Sauté onion and garlic, reduce wine by 75%, add to slow cooker. Add herbs, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, stir, then add carrot, celery and potato. Slow cook 10 hours on low or 6 hours on high, serve over mash!
2. Sauce thickener first - Pour about 1 cup of beef stock in the slow cooker with the flour and tomato paste. Mix to combine until lump free using a rubber spatula - it will be a thin batter consistency. Pour in remaining beef stock and mix (if you see pesky lumps, use a whisk).
3. Sear beef - Sprinkle and toss the beef with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over high heat. Brown the beef aggressively in 2 or 3 batches (don't crowd the pan). Transfer straight into the slow cooker, leaving the fat behind.
4. Sauté onion - Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until softened. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until it's golden and smells amazing.
5. Massively reduce red wine (flavour flavour flavour!) - Pour the wine in slowly (careful, it will sputter). Simmer rapidly, stirring every now and then, until reduced but 75%, about 1/2 cup. Pour wine and onions into slow cooker.
6. Everything else - Add the stock cube, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir well, then add the carrots, celery and potato. Do your best to stir again (it's hard, there's a lot of stuff!)
7. Slow cook - Push any exposed beef under the liquid, any veg above the liquid will mostly be submerged by the end (liquid level rises plus meat / veg soften). Slow cook on LOW for 10 hours or HIGH for 6 hours. (Note 6) The meat should be fork-tender.
8. Finish and serve - Stir peas in, leave for 2 minutes to thaw and heat up (they're already cooked). Serve stew over mash!