How to Make Southern Beef Stew

Southern beef stew is a simple concoction that benefits most from the slow, even cooking of a slow cooker. You can put all of the ingredients for this dish into the slow cooker in the morning, and when you return from work, dinner will be ready. Another benefit to this method of cooking is that you can save money by purchasing cheaper cuts of stew meat. They will soften over the long cooking process.

Things You'll Need

• Nonstick frying pan
• Cooking spray
• Stove
• Slow cooker with lid and at least a 5-qt. capacity
• Slow cooker liner (optional)
• 2 lbs. of beef for stew (cut in 1-inch chunks)
• 14-oz. can of stewed tomatoes
• 8-oz. can of tomato sauce
• 14-oz. can corn kernels, no salt added if available
• 1/2 cup of sliced fresh celery
• 1 cup pearl or boiler onions, whole
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 2 tbsp. all purpose flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Meat thermometer

Instructions

1. Spray the frying pan with a light coating of cooking spray and place it on the stove over high heat.

2. Place the stew meat into the frying pan and allow to brown over high heat on all sides. You do not have to cook the meat all the way through; it will finish cooking in the slow cooker.

3. Place the slow cooker lining inside the slow cooker.

4. Put the browned meat, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, corn, celery, onions, thyme and flour into the slow cooker.

5. Plug in the slow cooker. Cook the stew, covered, on high heat for four hours or on low heat for eight hours.

6. Use a meat thermometer inserted into the meat to test that it is at least 160 degrees F. When the meat is done, the stew is finished, but longer cooking will allow the flavors to develop. Serve hot with salt and pepper, if desired.

Tips & Warnings

• Slow cooker liners are special, heat-proof plastic bags used to line the inside of a slow cooker. Since the food is cooked in the bag, it does not stick to the inside of the pot. This makes cleanup effortless. These are often found next to the aluminum foil in most grocery stores. Pearl or boiler onions are tiny white onions about 1 inch in diameter, and they can be found fresh in the produce section or frozen.