Beef stew in a crockpot. Tell us your recipies please

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10. Better than Bouillon! Decreases recipe to 1lb for 4 people

BEEF STEW (Serves 4)

This is the favorite of many cooks. It’s easy to prepare for a large number
of people; it can be stretched; it can be prepared in advance and reheated; it
can continue cooking or be kept hot awaiting late arrivals; and it can be
dressed up.

Allow ½ pound of beef per person and be sure it is lean. Too much fat
makes a greasy stew. Round steak or lean chuck are best. Have it cut in
cubes of 1½ to 2 inches.


2 pounds of lean beef in cubes
Beef fat, butter or bacon fat
Flour
Salt and pepper
1 clove of garlic
1 teaspoon of thyme
2½ to 3 cups of stock or bouillon
Few sprigs of parsley
Few celery leaves
1 onion
1 bay leaf

Roll the meat cubes in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Melt the beef
fat, bacon fat or butter (or mix butter and beef or bacon fat) in a heavy kettle
or Dutch oven. Start with about 2 tablespoons of fat and keep adding as you
need it. When the fat is hot but not burning add the peeled clove of garlic
and brown the meat cubes, sprinkling them with a bit of thyme as they
brown. When the meat is browned on all sides, add enough stock or bouillon
(this can be made with boiling water and bouillon cubes) to cover the beef.
This will take about 2½ to 3 cups of liquid. Bring to a boil, put a tight lid on
the kettle, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the
meat is tender. Degrease the sauce.

If you like a thicker sauce, remove the meat cubes when they are tender
and add pea-sized balls of butter and flour kneaded together. Stir these in
until the sauce is thick and smooth. Return the meat cubes to the pan to
reheat. Serve with rice, noodles or mashed potatoes.

VARIATIONS


With vegetables: Add any vegetables you like to the stew about 45 minutes
before the meat is done. You may add small peeled white onions, potatoes
peeled and halved, carrots peeled and left whole or cut in half lengthwise,
stalks of celery, green beans cut lengthwise, or frozen green peas (add these
during the last 15 minutes of cooking).

With dumplings: Top the stew with dumplings. Make a dumpling dough
(page 46 ) and add 4 tablespoons of chopped parsley to the flour when you
mix the dumplings. Drop spoonfuls of this mixture over the surface of the
stew a few minutes before serving time. Be sure to space the dumplings 2 to
3 inches apart. They swell during cooking. Cover tightly and continue
simmering for 15 to 20 minutes.

With mushrooms: Brown ½ pound of mushrooms with the meat and use
red wine for half of the liquid. Serve sprinkled with plenty of chopped green
parsley.

With tomato: Brown with the meat 1 green pepper cut in strips and 2
onions, peeled and sliced. Substitute basil for the thyme. Halfway through
the cooking, add 3 to 4 fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped. Serve
garnished with chopped parsley and accompanied by rice mixed with
chopped ripe olives and chopped pimiento.


From "The James Beard Cookbook"