"When life is hard to chew, make it into stew."
Ingredients
2 ½ lbs. Boneless Chuck Roast cut into 1 inch cubes
2 Tsp. kosher salt
2 Tsp. black pepper
¼ Cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
1 ½ Cups dry red wine or additional beef broth
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 large carrots, chopped
2 parsnips, chopped
¾ Lbs. red potatoes, chopped thick
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 Tsp. dried thyme
3 to 4 cups of beef broth
1 ½ cups fresh peas
Directions
Place the cubes in a large bowl and sprinkle with 2 tsp. salt and 2 tsp. black pepper; Sprinkle on the flour, then toss lightly to coat.
Place a large frying pan oven over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp. of oil. Once the oil is hot, add one-third to one-half of the beef. The cubes should be in a single layer and not too crowded so that they brown nicely. Let the cubes of beef cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes until the bottom of the cubes develop a dark-brown crust and come away from the pan easily. Turn and continue searing until dark and golden all over, about 4 to 5 additional minutes. Transfer the seared meat to a clean bowl or plate. Add another 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot, and once hot, sear the remaining beef, working in batches and ensuring that you do not overcrowd the pieces. It may take two or three batches total depending on the size your pan. If the pan gets too dry, add a bit more oil as needed.
While the meat browns, dice the yellow onion and celery. Mince the garlic
At this point, the pan should have some nice sticky brown bits (a.k.a. FLAVOR). If it seems to be burning or smoking, add a bit of the wine or beer, scrape it up, then pour it over the beef you set aside.
Reduce the pan heat to medium and add the final tablespoon olive oil. Add the onions and celery and cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire, 1 Tsp. salt and 1 Tsp. black pepper.
Increase the pan heat to medium high and add the wine (stand back, as it will sputter). Cook, letting the wine reduce and scraping up all of the brown bits from the pan. Continue to scrape and stir until the liquid is slightly reduced and thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer the sautéed vegetables and any bitters from the pan to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the beef, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and 3 cups beef broth. Stir to roughly combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the beef is cooked through. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems and stir in the peas. If you’d like the stew thinner, add additional broth until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste and add additional salt or pepper as desired. Serve hot, sprinkled with fresh parsley.
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