Ingredients:
- 3 lbs beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, thickly diced
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 3 cups beef bone broth
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into thick rounds
- 2 stalks celery, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions:
- Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear the beef in two batches until a dark, mahogany-colored crust forms on at least two sides, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer the seared beef to the slow cooker.
- In the same skillet, add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute until the paste darkens slightly.
- Deglaze the skillet with 1 cup of dry red wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits (fond). Pour the liquid and aromatics into the slow cooker.
- Add the beef bone broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, potatoes, carrots, and celery to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours (or High for 4 hours) until the beef chuck is fork-tender.
- Whisk cornstarch and water together in a small bowl. Stir the slurry and the frozen peas into the stew. Cover and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes until the gravy has thickened and the peas are bright green.