Slow Cooker Apple Cider Beef Stew

Serves 8 in about 7 hours. Onions goes in first, and flour finishes the pot.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds beef stew meat (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 2 large yellow onions, diced
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 3-4 medium carrots, diced
• 1 pound gold potatoes, diced
• 1 large apple, (peeled & diced) see note 1
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme (1 teaspoon dried leaves - not ground)
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (1-2 teaspoons dried) minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cups apple cider (or juice) see note 2
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar - see note 3
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour

Method

1. Warm a skillet over a lively medium heat. Tip in the olive oil and the beef cubes., Brown the beef on all sides. Tip in the beef to the slow cooker
2. In the same skillet, add the onions and celery. Sauté them until softened a bit. Stir in them to the slow cooker.
3. Tip in the carrots, potatoes, apple, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Stir together.
4. Tip in the apple cider, beef broth, and apple cider vinegar. Stir.
5. Put a lid on and cook on Low for 6-8 hours, or High for 4-6 hours, or until the meat is tender and the vegetables are tender, to your liking.
6. 45 minutes before serving, to a small bowl, add the flour and some of the hot broth from the slow cooker and stir together (carefully) until no lumps remain. Use as much broth as you need to.
7. Before serving, stir well, then taste and adjust salt, or add more vinegar or apple cider, if you want it.
8. Plate with some crusty bread or biscuits, or even a crisp green salad.

More slow cooker ideas are in the slow cooker collection.