Hearty Beef Stew

Source: Slow Cooker Revolution

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 onions, minced
• 1/4 C tomato paste
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme 
• 1/3 C all-purpose flour
• 3 C chicken broth
• 1/3 C soy sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 4lbs boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 1/2 lbs red potatoes (4-5 medium), scrubbed and quartered
• 1 lb carrots (about 6), peeled, halved length wise, and sliced 1 inch think

Directions

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, tomato paste, garlic, and thyme and cook until onions are softened and lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps; transfer to slow cooker.
2. Heat more oil in the skillet over medium-high heat.  Season then brown meat on all sides.  Transfer to slow cooker.
3. Stir in broth, 1/3 C soy sauce, and 2 bay leaves.  Toss potatoes and carrots with 1 tbsp oil, season with salt and pepper, and wrap in foil packet (place veggies on one side of a large piece of foil.  Fold foil over and crimp to seal the edges.) Place the packet on top of the stew, pressing gently as needed
4. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 9 - 11 hours on low or 5-7 on high.
5. Transfer foil packet to plate.  Let stew settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat using large spoon.  Discard bay leaves.
6. Carefully open foil packet, and stir veggies with any accumulated juice into stew.  Stir in peas and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes.  

Comments
4 hours on low is perfect. I did 5 hours originally and it was overcooked.