Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Make in the Slow Cooker, stove top, or in the oven

🍲 Slow Cooker Recipe

Ingredients

900 g (2 lbs) beef cubes (lean boneless shin, chuck steak) about 1 inch thick
30 ml (2 tablespoons) plain flour
15 ml (1 tablespoon) ground cumin
30 ml (2 tablespoons) Moroccan spices, e.g. Ras El Hanout
45 ml (3 tablespoons) rapeseed or olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and finely sliced
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped or crushed
600 ml (1 pint) beef stock – If using a slow cooker, only use 300 ml (1/2 pint) beef stock
1 x 400 g can chickpeas, drained
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Ingredients for the Garnish

45 ml (3 tablespoons) Greek yogurt
30 ml (2 tablespoons) freshly chopped mint

Directions

In a large lidded bowl, combine the flour and spices. Add in the meat, cover, and gently toss until the meat is coated in the seasoning.
In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil and sear the beef (in batches, if necessary) until nicely browned. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and fry the onions and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer the meat, garlic, and onions to a lidded oven-safe casserole dish. Add the stock, cover, and cook in an oven preheated to 170C / 325F / Gas Mark 3 for 2 to 2.5 hours or until the meat is tender.
Or, you could simmer the stew on the hob for 2 to 2.5 hours.
Or, you could add everything to a slow cooker (making sure you use less stock, as per the notes in the Ingredients) and cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 4 hours. At 15 minutes before (or 30 minutes before, if using a slow cooker) the end of the cooking time, add the chickpeas, and continue to cook.

Directions for the Garnish

Combine the yoghurt and mint and add a dollop to the side of your plate.

Serve with couscous, rice, mashed potatoes, whatever.

My Notes

I halved the recipe for my first attempt, but when I checked an hour in, the dish was quite dry so I added more water — I should have kept the stock to 600ml (and the 2 tablespoons of flour) and will do this next time.
I didn’t use chickpeas, but used 200 g of carrots chopped into large pieces. I also added 1/4 cup of raisins and 1/4 cup of dried apricots. The meat was tender after 2 hours in my oven.

Meal Critic Comments

“Better than the tagine I had in Paris!” so I’ll be making this again. 😉