Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Step 1. Prepare the beef: Trim the excess fat from the chuck roast and cut it into bite-sized cubes. Season the beef with salt and pepper to taste. You can also add optional chili or paprika powder to give the stew some extra kick.

Step  2. Coat the beef: In a large bowl or plastic bag, toss the beef cubes with flour until they are evenly coated. Shake off any excess flour.

Step 3. Brown the beef: Heat a little oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the floured beef cubes in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Brown the beef on all sides, transferring each batch to the slow cooker once browned.

Step 4. Add the vegetables: To the slow cooker, add the coarsely diced carrots, chopped celery, chopped onions, minced garlic, and roughly chopped red potatoes.

Step 5. Tomato base: Pour in the can of diced tomatoes with its liquid and add the small can of tomato paste. Stir everything together until the tomato paste is well distributed.

Step 6. Liquid and seasoning: Add the bottle of beer and the beef broth/stock to the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss in the bay leaves for added flavor.

Step 7. Slow cooking: Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or on high heat for 4-5 hours. Slow cooking allows the flavors to meld together and the beef to become tender.

Step 8. Adjust seasoning: After the cooking time is up, taste the stew and adjust the seasoning as needed with more salt and pepper.

Serve:

Remove the bay leaves before serving the slow-cooked beef stew. You can serve it with crusty bread or over a bed of fluffy mashed potatoes for a comforting and hearty meal.