Slow Cooker Beef and Beer

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

178 people added this to their Recipe Box

This recipe makes 4 servings

Nutritional Info
Per serving: about	-
cal	444444 cal
pro	52 g52g pro
total fat	18 g18g total fat
sat. fat	5 g5g sat. fat
carb	18 g18g carb
fibre	3 g3g fibre
chol	110 mg110mg chol
sodium	491 mg491mg sodium
% RDI:	-
calcium	66 calcium
iron	4040 iron
vit A	6868 vit A
vit C	1717 vit C
folate	2323 folate

An 8-cup (2 L) slow cooker is just the right size for small batches of stew – perfect for this recipe that makes just enough for two dinners for two. Serve with mashed or boiled potatoes to soak up all the rich, meaty sauce.

Ingredients

2 2lb lbbeef cross rib pot roast bonelessbeef cross rib pot roasts boneless
2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 2tbsp tbspvegetable oil
1/4 cup diced bacon 1/4 1/4cup cupdiced bacon
2 carrots , sliced2 2carrotcarrots, sliced
2 onions , diced2 2oniononions, diced
2 garlic cloves , minced2 2garlic clovegarlic cloves, minced
3 3cups cupsbutton mushroombutton mushrooms, (8 oz/250 g), halved
1/4 tsp salt 1/4 1/4tsp tspsalt
1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 1/4tsp tsppepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme 1/4 1/4tsp tspdried thyme
3/4 cup beer 3/4 3/4cup cupbeer
3/4 cup sodium-reduced beef stock 3/4 3/4cup cupsodium-reduced beef stock
2 tbsp tomato paste 2 2tbsp tbsptomato paste
2 tbsp all-purpose flour 2 2tbsp tbspall-purpose flour
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley 1/4 1/4cup cupminced fresh parsley

Preparation

Cut beef into 1-1/2-inch (4 cm) cubes. In large skillet, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; brown beef. Transfer to slow cooker.

Add bacon to skillet; fry until starting to crisp. Transfer to slow cooker. Drain fat from skillet.

In same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat; fry carrots, onions, garlic, mushrooms, salt, pepper and thyme, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add beer, stirring and scraping up brown bits; scrape into slow cooker.

Add beef stock and tomato paste to slow cooker; stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until meat is tender.

Skim fat from liquid. Whisk flour with 1/4 cup (50 mL) water; whisk into slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or until thickened. Stir in parsley.

Additional information : Variation
Oven-Braised Beef and Beer: Omit flour. In shallow Dutch oven, brown meat in oil; set aside. Fry bacon, carrots, onions, garlic, mushrooms, salt, pepper and thyme until vegetables are tender, 7 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste until vegetables are coated. Add beer and beef stock; bring to boil, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Return meat to pan. Cover and cook in 325°F (160°C) oven, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender, 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Stir in parsley.

Source : Canadian Living Magazine: March 2007