Recipe - Slow Cooker Beef Stew

My slow cookers have been faithful friends even more than usual during the remodel.  It's funny how you don't really think about modern kitchen conveniences (like stoves and ovens) until you don't have them anymore!  I have always appreciated using slow cookers, and have over time amassed a fairly large personal collection featuring all sizes to suit a variety of purposes.  Some may say I have more than I need, but really, can you ever have too many of this useful kitchen appliance?

The introduction of the first slow cooker, dubbed the Crock-Pot by Rival back in 1971, was perfectly timed, as many women of that decade begin working outside the home. Moms could start dinner in the morning before going to work and quickly have a meal on the table when the family gathered back home in the evenings.  As a girl I remember many early morning sessions of chopping vegetables and browning meat so that the Crock-Pot could be turned on before we all left for work and school, and nothing could have been more welcoming, especially to my mother, than coming home to the smell of a delicious meal almost ready to serve a hungry family.

Last Sunday I tried a new Beef Stew recipe designed specifically for the slow cooker which we really liked.  It may appear pretty traditional looking in the photo above, with lean beef, carrots, potatoes, onions, and peas--but it also has a secret ingredient--bacon!  I think the bacon gives it an extra robust flavor well suited to a frosty Sunday afternoon.  Our church schedule recently changed to 9 a.m., but I was still able to get this in the Crock-Pot before we left, put some frozen roll dough out to raise, and we were ready to eat by 2:00.  I could have even done some of the prep work the night before, like peeling the vegetables and leaving them in a bowl of cold water in the fridge overnight to speed things up.  But even starting from scratch, it didn't take too long to get it going before church and it was very nice to come home to!  Please note that Maceys offers a great price on a Boneless Eye of Round Beef Roast this week ($2.99/lb) that would be perfect for this recipe as well as Western Family Canned Tomatoes for $.59/can. See easy instructions below.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

-3 lbs sirloin steak or other boneless cut of beef (rump roast, London broil, etc.) cut into 1-inch chunks
-1 cup bottled Italian Salad Dressing
-1 lb bacon
-1.5 lb carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
-2 lb red potatoes, quartered
-2 onions, cut into chunks
-1 bag frozen petite peas
-1 can (14.5 oz) tomatoes, drained (or one bottled home-canned tomatoes, drained)
-1 can beef broth
-2 small cans tomato sauce
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon black pepper

The night before, cut up your meat.

Pour dressing over stew meat in gallon zip-lock bag.  Squish the bag around to distribute the dressing evenly over the meat.  Marinate overnight.

The next morning, peel all the vegetables--except peas of course--and cut up. (You can also do this the night before to save time, but if you do them ahead of time, cover with cold water and refrigerate).

Cook the bacon on cookie sheet in oven at 400 degrees until fully cooked (15 minutes or so).

Drain and break into large pieces.

Drain off marinade and brown meat in hot skillet.  After it's cooked a few minutes, you will start to see liquid in the pan which you should spoon off (this is more of the salad dressing coming out from the meat as it browns). The meat does not have to be fully cooked, just browned a bit. 

Drain tomatoes and place in crock pot with all other ingredients except peas.

Stir together well.

Turn crock pot to high and cook for 1 to 2 hours.  This is how it looks after a couple of hours.

Do not stir.  Turn to low and cook for another 4 to 5 hours for a total of 5 to 6 hours.  About 1/2 hour before time to eat, pour a bag of frozen petite peas on top and cover again.  Do not stir yet.

When the peas are no longer frozen, gently stir the mixture together so as to not mush it all up.  Serves 8 to 10.