Chris' Tuscan Beef Stew - Take 2

Chris' Tuscan Beef Stew - Take 2

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes

Cooking Method:  Crock Pot

Cooking Time: 8-10 hours

Servings:  8
Calories Per Serving: 305

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pound Chuck Roast, trimmed and cut into 1 to ½ inch cubes. 
• 1 medium White Onion, diced.
• 12 ounce whole Baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced (include cores – do not get pre-sliced as they are dried out).
• 2 14.5-ounce cans Petite Diced Tomatoes with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Seasonings.
• 4 ounces Red Wine.
• 2 cups Beef Stock.
• 1 tablespoon Rosemary, chopped.  Plus 2-3 sprigs extra.
• 1 tablespoon Thyme, chopped.  Plus 3-4 sprigs extra.
• 3 Bay Leaves, whole.
• Salt.
• Freshly ground Pepper.
• Garlic Powder.
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil.
• 3 medium Carrots, sliced into ½ inch pieces.
• 1 Russet Potato, cut into 1 to ½ inch cubes (I like to leave the skin on the potato).
• 1 15.5-ounce can of Garbanzo Beans, drained.

Directions:

• Prepare the chuck roast, onion, and mushrooms.  Coat the beef with salt, ground pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
• Tie the sprigs of rosemary and thyme together into a small bundle.
• Add olive oil to a heavy skillet/pot.  Heat on medium high.  Brown the seasoned beef (about 2-3 minutes).   Transfer beef to crock-pot.
• Add mushrooms, onions, diced tomatoes, chopped rosemary, chopped, thyme, red wine, and 2 cups beef stock to the crock-pot.  Stir well.
• Add bay leaves and rosemary/thyme bundle to crock-pot.  Stir to combine.
• Cook on high for 8 to 10 hours.  2-3 hours before completion add the carrots, potatoes, and garbanzo bean (or you can add them at the beginning, but cook 10 hours on low).  Stir well.
• Before serving, let the stew sit for a few minutes to allow any residual grease to float to the top.  Use a spoon to remove the grease, or use a piece of bread to soak it up.  Remove the herb bundle and the bay leaves.

Some additional tips...

• The starch in the potatoes will help thicken the stew, but you can also add some cornstarch (mixed with a bit of water)  or Wondra flour to thicken the stew further.  When I do this, I add the cornstarch/flour 60 minutes before dinner.
• You can always add more beef stock or wine to add to the stew's volume.

Enjoy!

-Chris (PiedPiperOSIB)