Saturday Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Christine made this delicious slow cooker beef stew yesterday courtesy of the "Damn Delicious" blog, with modifications.  

A perfect dinner complete with a warmed artisan sourdough loaf and a bottle of Malbec.  

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds good quality stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes (She purchased the stew beef at our local butcher).  

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 pound baby red potatoes  (Christine used baby red/golds and cut them in half).

4 carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups beef broth

1 6 ounce can tomato paste

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

2 bay leaves

1/4 cup flour

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. 

Season beef with salt and pepper, to taste.  Add beef to the skillet and cook until evenly browned about 2-3 minutes.

Place beef, potatoes, carrots, onion and garlic into a slow cooker.  Stir in beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire, thyme, rosemary, paprika and bay leaves until well combined.

Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup stew broth.  Stir in flour mixture into the slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until thickened.