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This recipe for Slow Cooker Beef with Mushrooms is a comforting classic. It’s slow-cooked with tender meat in a dark rich gravy.
Serve with pasta or it’s especially good with my Best Ever Mashed Potatoes.
I love slow-cooked meals this time of year, but I sometimes run into trouble with slow cookers and knowing how much liquid to add.
Because slow cookers have a tightly sealed lid, the liquid doesn’t evaporate so when adapting a standard recipe, I find it’s best to reduce the liquid by about a third.
it is best for the liquid to just cover the meat and vegetables. You also shouldn’t overfill your slow cooker. Half to two-thirds full is perfect. So when I started working on this recipe I wasn’t sure how to get the flavor without adding too much stock. So, I cut the stock completely and used just one bottle of beer to cook the meat in.
Why This Recipe Works
- Browning the beef before adding it to the slow cooker ensures the flavor is sealed in.
- Slow cooking the beef gives you delicious tender meat that melts in your mouth.
- Fresh herbs add a flavor profile that can’t be beat.
I add the thickening agent at the end by taking the lid off and raising the temperature for the last half hour. That way, the stew doesn’t end up more like a soup.
Other Slow Cooker Recipes
- Slow Cooked Chinese Duck with Plums
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Recipe
Slow Cooked Beef with Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Stewing beef (Chuck, shortribs, or brisket cubed)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion
- 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 16 ounces Baby Portabella Mushrooms (sliced or if small keep whole)
- 1 cup dark ale
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ¼ cup cold water
- a good handful fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Place the mushrooms in a microwave-safe bowl and cook on high heat for 3 minutes to release the water. Strain and set aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Start by browning the beef in batches on all sides. Add to the slow cooker.
- Using the same pan, add more oil if needed. Cook the onion umtil trnaslucent. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
- Stir in the ale and add the mushrooms and thyme. Bring to a boil, then add the mixture to the slow cooker with the beef. Season well with salt and pepper. Cook on low 8-10 hours.
- Before serving the remove the lid. Add the flour to the water and mix until no lumps appear in the mixture. Mix into the stew and cook uncovered for 30 more minutes on high – this should thicken the sauce nicely.
- Stir in the chopped parsley and serve over, noodles, rice or potatoes.
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