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–+ servings
French cooked beef stew called Daube de Boeuf with colorful vegetables and polenta on the side.

#1 Crockpot Beef Stew With Gravy Recipe

Judith Coates
This crockpot beef stew with gravy improves in flavor as it rests, making it the ideal make-ahead meal. The best fall and winter crockpot meal!
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Plus Marinating Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 55 minutes
Course dinner recipe
Cuisine French
Servings 8

Equipment

  • crockpot/slowcooker
  • cast-iron pot
  • Dutch oven

Ingredients

For The Marinate

  • 4 lbs stewing beef cut in thick chunks
  • 4 carrots thickly cut
  • 2 onions large - thickly sliced
  • 1 onion small - studded with 4 cloves
  • bouquet garni sprig or two of thyme, parsley, and a bay leaf.
  • 1 L red wine bottle of good red wine such as Burgundy

For The Stew

  • 8 oz streaky bacon or salt pork, diced
  • 4 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 tomatoes ripe, peeled, de-seeded, and roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 Grated rind and juice of one orange optional
  • 3 tablespoon parsley freshly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Salt and ground black pepper if needed at end
  • ½ cup black olives optional

Instructions
 

  • Place 4 lbs stewing beef , 4 carrots, 2 onions, and bouquet garni in a non-metallic bowl. Pour 1 L red wine over the ingredients. Refrigerate overnight or even a couple of hours.
  • Remove beef from marinate, pat dry. Brown 8 oz streaky bacon and beef in a heavy-bottomed skillet with 4 tbsp olive oil, then transfer to crockpot. (The meat needs to be dry or it will not brown, it will steam instead, and you will miss a lot of flavor.)
  • Add remaining marinade, 3 tomatoes, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 4 cloves garlic, salt, and 1 tsp black peppercorns (in a spice bag if you are concerned about eating them whole) to the crockpot.
  • Bring to a boil and immediately reduce heat and simmer for about four hours. The marinate will reduce by about ¾ but you can add a little water if it reduces too much. It should be a good consistency and not watery.
  • Add a ½ cup black olives and 1 Grated rind and juice of one orange if you like but it is equally good without.
  • Stir in freshly chopped 3 tbsp parsley and season with more salt and pepper if needed after tasting.

Notes

  • Don't skip the marinating step, as this will make a more delicious beef stew.
  • Dry meat and brown well for added depth of flavour.
  • Cook long and slow.

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Nutrition

Calories: 528kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 58gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 141mgSodium: 935mgPotassium: 1278mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 5729IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 98mgIron: 6mg
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