Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Drunk Beef Stew



Who doesn't love to come home to the smell of dinner already prepared?  You don't need a personal chef to do that, instead opt for a Crockpot!  I am in the midst of my graduate finals for the semester, and the last thing I have time to do is whip up a fancy dinner for one.  I have two sizes of CrockPots--1 small and 1 large.  This allows me to tailor my size based on my recipe and my personal needs.  For this recipe I went with my large recipe, because I love the way the flavors meld into delicious leftovers! 

Beef Stew (Simplified)
Ingredients:
  • 6 lbs beef round roast (1 lb per person)
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 Tbsp canola oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 1 pkg beef stew packet (McCormick)
  • 2 onions, quartered
  • 1 lb baby carrots
  • 12 new potatoes
  • 1 cup red wine (doesn't have to be an expensive bottle, but something you would drink!)
  • water
Directions:
Cube meat and toss with flour.  Heat a skillet with 1 tbsp of oil and brown meat on all sides (create a crust on the meat to keep the moisture locked in).  Remove beef and place in crockpot.  To the pan add the wine and beef stew packet.  Bring to a simmer and scrape up all of the browned bits from the bottom. Pour over top of the meat.  Layer onions, potatoes and carrots then barely cover with water.  Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-10 hours.  Serve with crusty bread or corn bread for a complete meal!  If you want a pop of color before it hits the table add it 1/4cup of chopped fresh parsley to the stew.  If you crave a kick add in 1 Tbsp of horseradish!  Enjoy!  Don't forget to pour yourself a glass of the red wine to sip with your meal--you deserve it!

2 comments:

Nicole, RD said...

That stew looks great, especially the chunk of potato! mmmm!

Mom on the Run said...

I love the simplicity of this recipe. In fact I was sold at crockpot (a Mom on the Run) favorite.

I stumbled upon your blog and love it!!