1.5lbsbeef brisket or chuck, cut into 2 inch cubes
1 tablespoondried thyme or oregano or Italian seasoning
1teaspoonsalt
1teaspoonground black pepper
1/4cupall purpose flour
3-4tablespoonsolive oil
1large onion, about 2 cups, cut in to chunks
1clovegarlic, minced
3-4tablespoonsWorcestershire Sauce
3cupsV-8 vegetable juice cocktail or tomato juice
1cupwater
1Knorr beef homestyle stock cups, 4.6 oz each, or 2 beef bullion cubes
1 1/2cupscelery, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2cupscarrots, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces or baby carrots, whole
3medium potatoes (about 2 cups), scrubbed clean and cut into one inch cubes
Instructions
Place meat in a medium bowl, season with thyme or dry herbs, salt and pepper. Toss with 1/4 cup flour.
Place the oil in a large stock pot or dutch oven. Heat to medium high.
Working in two batches, cook the meat until it is browned on all sides, when the batch is browned, remove and set aside on plate. If there is flour leftover, sprinkle it over the last batch of meat browning in the pan. Remove any remaining meat from pan, set aside.
Keeping heat on medium high, add more oil if needed. Place the onions into the pan on stove, cooking and stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and cook for about one minute.
Return the meat to the pan with the onions and garlic. Add Worcestershire sauce. Cook for about 1 minute.
Add the tomato or V-8 juice, water, beef flavoring, celery, carrots and potatoes.
Cover and simmer on low heat for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and add more seasoning if needed.
Notes
Knorr Homestyle Stock cups are sold in the soup section of most grocery stores. They come in a package with 4 cups enclosed. I like the flavor of the Knorr brand. You may use Swanson brand liquid flavoring, regular bullion cubes, or other types of stock flavoring if desired.
For stew, purchase beef that is a lower quality cut, such as brisket or chuck. This will produce the best result when slow cooking.
If you have a gluten allergy, skip tossing the flour into the meat. Just go ahead and brown the meat without the flour. Follow the directions for making the stew. When adding water at the end of recipe, reserve about 1/2 cup of water and whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into water in a cup. Add to the stew mixture and stir gently. This will thicken the stew after a minute or two!
If you want to skip using cornstarch, get out an immersion blender and place in the pan of stew. Pulse the blender in one or two spots for a second or two. The blended veggies will thicken the stew instantly.
Slow Cooker Directions: Brown the meat in a pan on stove as directed with flour and seasonings. Place the meat into a slow cooker and add vegetables and seasonings. Make sure to scrape out the bottom of the pan into slow cooker! Add everything except the water to the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or until vegetables and meat are tender. If needed, add water.