Slow cooker beef stew

Here’s a super easy recipe to feed a bunch of friends or your family on a budget. It tastes even better when reheated.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 kg stewing beef, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 x 400 g cans chopped tomatoes 
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil

Recipe Preparation

Heat olive oil in a big frying pan at medium-high heat. Sear the beef, seasoning it with salt in batches until browned all over. You will need to put extra oil in each batch of beef until you have seared everything. Add to slow cooker. 
 
Sauté carrot chunks for about 2 minutes, then add onion and garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add tomato paste, stirring to coat vegetables. When the vegetables are browned, pour everything into the slow cooker with the beef.
 
Turn heat to medium, and using the same pan, add cans of tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine. Pour the seasoned tomato sauce into slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. Stir until all ingredients are well combined. 
 
Set slow cooker to low setting and let mixture cook for 6 hours, until beef is tender and the carrot is very soft but not mushy. 
 
Serve stew with boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, rice, pasta, or even couscous.