Slow-Cooker Beef & Tomato Stew

I have finally, finally, bought a slow-cooker.  I’m not sure what took me so long.  Well, I did have this old one for a while.  It was blue and ugly…with flowers on it.  It made me feel old. And it was nothing like the ones they have now.  Anyway, the verdict is….I love my new kitchen appliance. 

I was really excited to try this recipe.  I loved the idea of a tomato-based beef stew, instead of just the “brown” stew taste. You know what I mean.  Let me just tell you, it’s delicious.  It was a thumb’s up from the family.

The meat was so tender.  I will admit I did spend some extra time cutting away all the fat from the roast, it’s worth it.  Using a beef chuck roast instead of stew meat also allows for a better tasting stew.  If you are lucky enough to have a great butcher who will cut a roast into 1″ pieces for you….ask him!

You’ll have to try it for yourself and let us know what you think. This is also lower calorie than most beef stew recipes so enjoy that benefit as well.

Slow-Cooker Beef & Tomato Stew
From Everyday Food
Serves 6

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced small
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4″ rounds
3 celery stalks, cut into 1/4″ pieces
2 pounds beef chuck, fat-trimmed, cut into 1″ pieces
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth/stock
3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
coarse salt and ground pepper
4 cups cooked brown rice*
6 Tablespoons nonfat plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream if calories are not an issue)
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium.  Add onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, 10 minutes.  Transfer mixture to a 5 – 7 quart slow-cooker and add beef, tomatoes, broth, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Cover and cook on high, 6 hours, stirring occasionally (every 1-1/2 hours).  To serve, divide brown rice and stew among six bowls and top with yogurt and parsley. (to store, refrigerate stew in an airtight container, up to 3 days, or freeze up three months.)

*You can use bulgur in place of brown rice.