Slow Cooker Rosemary Garlic Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 4 medium carrots
• 1/2 bunch celery
• 1 medium onion
• 2 lbs red potatoes
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 lbs beef stew meat
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Directions

1. Chop the onion into small pieces, then cut up the carrots and celery. Scrub the potatoes thoroughly and slice them into 1 inch cubes. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes to a large slow cooker.
2. Put the stew meat in a large bowl, then season it generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle in the flour and toss until the beef is covered all over. Leave the coated meat to the side for now.
3. Warm the olive oil in a large heavy skillet set over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook it in the oil for about 1 minute, just until it softens and smells fragrant. Tip in the floured beef, along with any flour left in the bowl. Leave the meat alone for a few minutes so it can brown on one side, then stir and continue that process until the pieces are browned on most or all sides. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker and mix it into the vegetables.
4. Put the skillet back on the burner and lower the heat to low. Pour in the beef broth, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, rosemary, and thyme. Stir everything together, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom as they loosen into the sauce. When the bottom of the skillet is clear, pour the sauce into the slow cooker. It will not fully cover everything inside, and that is fine; the stew will create more liquid as it cooks.
5. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours. After 4 hours, take off the lid and stir the stew, using the spoon to break the beef into smaller pieces as you go. Taste and add more salt if it needs it. Serve hot on its own, or spoon it over a bowl of rice or pasta.