Perfect Autumn Stew

With the start of Autumn, slave thought it time to dust off an old recipe and up date a nice beef stew for you! Retro “grandmother-type” food, yet not fattening, now that is comforting.

This is a thick, hearty meal that will “stick to your ribs” but not your waist! The aroma that awaits your arrival home just says: “somebody cares”!

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pounds boneless chuck steak, cut into 4 equal pieces

• 1 teaspoon beef seasoning

½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• 1 sweet onion, cut into big chunks
• 1 ½ cups beef broth
• 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbs Worcestershire
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1 10 - ounce white mushrooms, quartered

• 1pkg frozen mixed vegetables (thawed)

Directions:

Wipe out your slow cooker and spray.

Cut the onion into big chunks.

Cut the chuck into 4 or 5 large pieces and trim the biggest hunks of fat off of them. Season both sides of beef with seasonings.

On medium high heat, warm 2 tbs oil to brown the sides of meat. Note here slave threw the hunks of fat from the chuck to render a grease that is just full of flavor. Remove this gristle before adding the pieces of meat you will use. Think about it. Why throw away all of that flavor along with the fat? Use it to brown the meat and impart flavor – then throw it away. Brown approximately 4 minutes per side. Just to get a nice color on it.

Place half of the onion into the cooker and lay the meat on top, then cover with the rest.

In a small bowl, combine broth, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. Pour over all and cover.

Cook on LOW for 8 hours.

(at the 7 hour mark add the mushrooms and thawed vegetables)

Slave rinsed the mushrooms and cut them into big chunks also.

Re-cover and let finish cooking.

At the end of 8 hours, remove the meat & vegetables with a big slotted spoon. Pour liquid into a sauce pan over medium heat.

Mix 2 tbs cornstarch with 2 tbs water until well mixed. Stir this slurry into the sauce and stir as you bring to a boil to thicken. You will want this very thick because when you add it back to the stew, it will thin out.

Mix this together with vegetables and meat for a wonderful old fashioned stew that would make your grandmother proud!

On the way home, a nice Italian bakery sliced up a crusty loaf for me. Which gets wrapped in foil and placed in a 300 degree oven for about 10 minutes to warm!..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC05YwDUmVg

Remember this one?

So wonderful to get a chance to serve my Master Indy!

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes by Dan White http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F315Y4I/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via @amazon