This simple and easy beef stew recipe is our families go-to recipe for a warm and hearty stew full of tender beef, carrots, onions, potatoes and celery simmered away in a rich thick broth that is full of flavor.
1envelopeFrench Onion Soup Mix(see notes for homemade version)
Thickening Slurry:
2tablespoonsAll-Purpose Flour(or gluten-free flour if you are on a gluten free diet)
¼cupWater
Instructions
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the olive oil and then spread the beef stew meat in the hot pan in a single layer and let it brown for 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs flip the meat over and brown on the other side.
Place the browned beef in a 6 quart or larger slow cooker.
Add the minced garlic and the red wine vinegar to the hot pan and deglaze the pan quickly scraping up the browned bits from the pan (this is where the flavor lies). And pour the deglazing liquid and garlic over the meat in the slow cooker.
Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker (vegetables, beef broth, tomato paste, pepper and French onion soup mix) and stir everything together.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.
During the last half of cooking create a thickening slurry by stirring together the flour (or gluten free flour or cornstarch if using) and water in a small bowl or cup until there are no lumps in your slurry. Stir slurry into simmering beef stew and let it cook the final half hour before serving.
Enjoy!
Notes
You can easily make your own French onion soup mix instead of buying the packets at the grocery store. You may wish to make your own if you cannot find French onion soup mix locally or you want to be able to control the ingredients and salt content in your dishes. This recipe's nutritional information is calculated based on using 1 envelope of Lipton's French Onion Soup Mix. I have made my own mix in the past but this week I was short on time and just grabbed the store bought stuff. Homemade French Onion Soup Mix:
1/4 cup dried onion flakes
2 tablespoons low-sodium beef bouillon granules
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and store in an air tight container.
One recipe equals 1 envelope of store bought onion soup mix.
Feel free to double (or triple, etc, this recipe to make sure you have more on hand).
Dried mix is best used within 1 year of making for the best flavor. After that the flavor may diminish but the mix is still perfectly safe to use.