Serves 6 to 8
If you’re going to be away from your slow cooker for more than 10 hours, cutting the vegetables into larger, 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces will help them retain their texture.
| 5 | pounds boneless beef chuck-eye roast , trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes |
| | Table salt and ground black pepper |
| 3 | tablespoons vegetable oil |
| 4 | medium onions , chopped fine |
| 1 | (6-ounce) can tomato paste |
| 2 | cups low-sodium chicken broth or beef broth |
| 3 | tablespoons soy sauce |
| 1 | pound carrots , peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces |
| 1 | pound parsnips , peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces |
| 1 | pound red potatoes , cut into 1-inch pieces |
| 1 1/2 | teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves |
| 2 | bay leaves |
| 2 | tablespoons Minute Tapioca |
| 2 | cups frozen peas , thawed |
1. Dry beef with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of beef and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to slow-cooker insert and repeat with remaining beef (you shouldn’t need more oil).
2. Add 1 tablespoon oil, onions, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to empty skillet and cook until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring well, for 2 minutes. Add broth and soy sauce, bring to simmer, and transfer to slow-cooker insert.
3. Toss carrots, parsnips, potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap vegetables in foil packet that will fit in slow cooker. Stir bay leaves and tapioca into slow-cooker insert; set vegetable packet on top of beef.
4. Set slow cooker to high, cover, and cook for 6 to 7 hours. (Or cook on low for 10 to 11 hours.) Transfer vegetable packet to plate. Carefully open packet (watch for steam) and stir vegetables and juices into stew. Add remaining 1 teaspoon thyme and peas and let stand until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Make Ahead
You can do most of the prep for this recipe the night before the ingredients go into the slow cooker. Prepare the recipe through step 2 and refrigerate the browned beef and onion mixture in separate containers. In the morning, just transfer everything to the slow cooker and proceed with step 3. The cooking time will run to the high end of the ranges given in the recipe.
Test Kitchen Discoveries
- Brown the meat and onions on the stovetop to intensify their flavor and deepen the color of the stew.
- Steam the vegetables in a “hobo pack,�?a packet made of aluminum foil, atop the meat and broth to prevent them from drying out. Stir them into the stew just before serving so that they maintain their firm texture.
- Add a little soy sauce to intensify the flavor and darken the color of the broth.
- Thicken the stew with instant tapioca to avoid any starchiness in the broth.
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MADAME MOUSEY
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