Slow Cooker Hunter's Stew
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 tsp salt, divided
- 2 to 2 1/2 lbs stew meat
- 2 tbsp canola oil, divided
- 4 slices about 1 1/2 cups bacon, cut into half inch strips
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup carrot, diced
- 1/3 cup flour
- 6 cups beef stock
- 2 bay leaves, torn in half
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 1 32- ounce can peeled whole tomatoes
- 1 1/2 lbs red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
- 16 ounces 1 lb cabbage, sliced thin
- 3 tsp red wine vinegar
Instructions
- 15 minutes before cooking, add 3/4 teaspoon of the salt to the stew meat. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, warm 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat, until hot, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add half the stew meat to the skillet and brown, about 2 to 2 ½ minutes, stir 2 to 3 times. Remove the meat and place into a warm slow cooker. Add the remaining oil and meat to the pan and brown. Add this browned meat to the slow cooker. Cover and keep warm.
- Reduce the heat to medium and place the bacon, onions, carrots and flour into the skillet. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Once the flour is slightly golden, add the stock, bay leaf, ginger, pepper and 1 3/4 teaspoon salt. Scrape up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the cabbage, potatoes and tomatoes into slow cooker, topping the browned stew meat. Pour the cooking liquid over the meat and vegetables. Cover and cook on low for 9 to 10 hours or high for 6 to 7 hours. With 10 minutes of cook time remaining, stir in the vinegar.
- Serve the soup warm with crusty bread and brie.