Crock Pot Pepper Beef Stew

It has been absolutely FREEZING in Georgia this week! Well, freezing compared to the sixty degree winter we’ve had so far this year. I’ve been spoiled…spoiled bad. Next winter we will be in Kansas, and I’m pretty sure it will be nowhere near sixty degrees in February…so I’m trying to enjoy it while I can! This stew was the perfect meal to counteract the bitterly cold weather we have been experiencing recently. Seth is in the field again this week, so I had lots and lots of left overs all to myself :). I did save him one bowl….it’s in the fridge…hopefully it will still be there by the time he gets back tomorrow.

This recipe is actually for my brother, Lyndon. For the last several weeks he has been asking about Crock Pot recipes, so instead of making this in my dutch oven, I decided to go the Crock Pot route for him!

This stew really is one of the most comforting meals of all time. I have so many memories growing up of my dad making beef stew, and I always remember it having a very distinct pepper flavor, which was my favorite part.

There are so many things I love about this recipe…

First of all, it is so so so easy. With the exception of a little chopping, you just dump a bunch of stuff in a Crock Pot and let it cook for 6 hours. This would be perfect for a weeknight meal or a lazy Saturday!

Second..it’s cheap! My number one favorite thing about Crock Pots is how you can take SUPER cheap cuts of meat and let them simmer away in there all day, transforming them into tender little morsels that have the most amazing flavor. The tougher the cut of meat, the more flavorful it will be if you cook it right.

This recipe uses “Stew Beef”…which basically means it’s such a cheap cut of meat that you should really only use it in soups and stews that are simmered for hours… I’ll tell you something though – no one will ever guess this beef only cost you five dollars.

Shhh…I won’t tell if you won’t ;).

Third…it is incredibly comforting and flavorful. There are so many different flavor profiles that go into making this stew: the aromatics (onions, carrots, garlic), the tender, delicious potatoes, rosemary and thyme, soy sauce – everything comes together to make a delicious, complex stew.

The soy sauce might strike you as a little different, but we just add enough to bring an extra note of richness and depth. You don’t actually taste any of the soy sauce flavor. Just adds more to the background.

Yum. I hope this stew warms up your winter a bit!

Here is the recipe:

Crock Pot Pepper Beef Stew

• Author: Annie Chesson
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 6 hours 10 mins
• Total Time: 6 hours 20 mins
• Yield: 5 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 lb Stew Beef
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tablespoon pepper
• 4 Yukon Gold potatoes
• 3 carrots
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• About 10 sprigs of thyme
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 32 oz boxes of beef stock
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Lay your beef out in an even layer and sprinkle on 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 tablespoon pepper
2. Rub the seasonings into the meat so it evenly coats all the pieces
3. Add the beef into the Crock Pot
4. Peel your potatoes and carrots and dice them into approximately 1 inch chunks
5. Chop your onions into about 1 inch chunks
6. Add the veggies into the Crock Pot
7. Add the thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, and soy sauce into the Crock Pot
8. Pour in the beef stock over everything
9. Cook on low for 6 hours
10. When the 6 hours are up, stir together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water
11. Stir this mixture into your stew, turn the Crock Pot up to high, and cook for another 10 minutes
12. Turn your crock pot off, and remove the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf
13. Add your frozen peas and stir them into the soup – they will thaw very quickly
14. Stir in 2 teaspoons of salt and season with extra pepper to taste (I added somewhere between 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon, but this will vary depending on how peppery you want the stew to be)
15. Garnish with chopped parsley (optional)

If you make this or any of my other recipes, make sure to Instagram them and hashtag #thegarlicdiaries!