When I was young, my favorite food to order in a restaurant was beef stew. When my mother and I decided to create our own, we experimented with ingredients until we came up with this recipe. This stew is now a tradition every time the whole family is together.
—CHELSEY LARSEN SPARKS, NV
PREP: 25 MIN. • COOK: 6 HOURS • MAKES: 6 SERVINGS
4 medium carrots, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
1 cup beef broth
1 jar (7 ounces) julienned oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 small onion, chopped
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 boneless beef chuck roast (2 1/2 pounds), cut into 2-inch cubes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Hot cooked mashed potatoes or egg noodles
1. In a 4-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 12 ingredients. In a large bowl, combine beef, flour, salt and pepper; toss to coat. In a large skillet, brown the beef in oil in batches. Transfer to slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until beef is tender. Serve with mashed potatoes.