Alice Henneman, MS, RDN
Part of the pleasure of making slow cooker meals is the wonderful smell as they cook. This recipe is no exception! Enjoy this hearty, healthy blend of comfort foods.
- 1 1/2 - 2 pounds stew meat - cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons or 2 cubes beef bouillon
- 1 finely chopped garlic clove
- 3 sliced carrots
- 3 diced potatoes
- 1 - 2 chopped onions
- 1 sliced celery stalk
- Add herbs as desired: bay leaf, basil, oregano, etc. (I added 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed, plus 1 bay leaf ~Alice)
- Place meat in slow cooker.
- Mix flour, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl, and pour over meat; stir to coat.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or HIGH for 4 to 6 hours.
- Stir stew thoroughly before serving. If using bay leaf, discard before serving.
Yield: 6 servings
Alice's Notes:
- To reduce the sodium from the beef bouillon granules or cubes (unless using a low-sodium version), substitute 2 cups of a low-sodium beef broth and omit the two cups of water.
- I found 1 medium onion was enough for our family. Also, I left the celery out as I didn't have any on hand when I made this and it tasted OK without it.
- I used Yukon Gold potatoes (a thin-skinned potato), washed them, and left the skin on.
- Always thaw meat or poultry before putting it into a slow cooker.
- Store leftovers in shallow covered containers and refrigerate within two hours after cooking is finished. Reheating leftovers in a slow cooker is not recommended. Cooked food should be reheated on the stove, in a microwave, or in a conventional oven until it reaches 165 degrees F. Then the hot food can be placed in a preheated slow cooker to keep it hot for serving—at least 140 degrees F as measured with a food thermometer.
Adapted from: Montana Extension Nutrition Education Program Website Recipes, Montana State University Extension Service.