1. 3 pounds lean stew beef
oil to brown the beef
2. 2 medium onions, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small can of tomato sauce
3 oz. wine vinegar
2 cups red table wine
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon oregano rubbed between the palms of the hands
salt and pepper
3. 2 pounds small, ready-to-eat carrots
a similar volume of potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks.
Procedures:
1. Oil a large skillet and brown the stew beef. Do this in small batches so that the meat browns nicely without steaming. As each batch of beef is browned, put it in a large Crockpot or heavy pot for slow cooking.
2. These ingredients form the liquid in which the beef and vegetables will be cooked. Eventually you will pour them over the beef in the heavy pot, but first you can pour the tomato sauce and wine into the empty skillet to clean it. I also use some water to clean the skillet and to make enough liquid to cover the beef. You want to almost cover the beef, but do not drown it.
When the beef is browned and combined in the heavy pot with the liquids and seasonings, begin cooking it on low heat. How long? In the Crockpot, I start it on "high" in the morning, and then add the carrots around noon, and the potatoes a little later. The original recipe says to cook the beef for an hour and a half, add the vegetables and cook for half an hour longer. This is not long enough. I would estimate that the beef should beef should be simmered 2 ½ hours, and the vegetables for an hour. (It is going to take a while to bring it back to a simmer after adding the vegetables.)
3. Add the carrots, and when the liquid is simmering again, add the potatoes if you want them. Cook until these are tender.
This tasted especially good when I browned the meat the evening before I wanted to serve it. I let the meat sit overnight in the liquids it would be cooked in. I put it in the crockpot early in the morning and started it. I also used whole garlic cloves and whole onions. I omitted potatoes from the stew and served it with mashed potatoes.
I have also served the stew with noodles. Noodles go well with the carrots and gravy.
Corn muffins as shown in the picture are a good contrast in texture.
Happy Cooking,
Ruth Ann