There’s soup… And then there’s stew. Soup comes in a dainty little cup. It’s served before a meal to tide you over until everything is good and ready. It’s that charming first course that just builds up anticipation to the main course. Then there’s stew, it’s hearty Viking big brother. Stew isn’t dainty, it’s the hefty foodstuffs that you can count on to sustain you through the harshest nights. It subdues the rumbling deep from your gut like a leviathan quickly sinks even a war hardened battleship. Stew is the cold weather meal that we crave. Leave the soup for the fancy 6 course meals. This is an all in one savory feast.
Spoon needed, knife optional.
Ingredients
- 3 tbs veggie oil
- 2 onions diced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbs fresh thyme
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cup beef broth
- 2 large portabello mushroom caps gills removed, and roughly cut into 1/2" pieces
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 4 lbs beef chuck roast boneless, and cut into 1 1/2" chunks
- 2 to 3 medium red potatoes scrubbed and diced into 1" chunks
- 4 carrots peeled, and diced
- 3 parsnips peeled and diced
- 8 oz kale stems removed, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Cook the onions, tomato paste, garlic, and thyme in 2 tbs vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until softened about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for a minute longer. Whisk in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits and stirring any lumps. Remove from heat and carefully transfer to slow cooker.
- Stir the beef broth, portabellos, soy sauce, and bay leaves into the slow cooker with the onion mix. Pat the beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Add to the crock pot.
- Arrange a sheet of heavy foil out and toss the veggies ( red potatoes, carrots, parsnips) with the rest of the veggie oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and wrap in the foil to create a packet. Gently lay the packet over the beef in the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 9 to 11 hours on low, until the beef falls apart with a fork.
- Remove the foil pack from the cooker and let rest for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, strain fat from the surface of the stew. Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the kale and cover for another 20 to 30 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the veggies to the stew, (add additional broth if needed and heat through) stir and ladle into bowls.
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What a gorgeous stew. Love how hearty it is.
No this is a stew! Love all the big chunks of meat, my kind of stew!
Wondering if I did this right… How much beef is the recipe calling for? It shows 1 4 lbs which is confusing. 1.4 lbs, 1-4 lbs, 14 lbs!? I added 4 lbs and am hoping it’s correct! Just got it all in the crock pot now… And it’s full to the brim!
4 pounds is perfect. It should be 1 four pound beef chuck roast. 14 pounds would be one heck of a soup! 😀 I hope it comes out wonderful for you.
Thanks for the prompt reply! Yes, 4 lbs was perfect. Definitely filled my crock pot to capacity! Yum yum yum. Will make this again for sure! 🙂