Slow-Cooker Beef Chuck & Ale Stew with Carrot & Parsnip

Ingredients

• 1½ lb Beef Chuck, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, thickly sliced
• 2 Carrot, cut into batons
• 2 Parsnip, cut into batons
• 1 cup brown ale
• 1½ cups beef stock
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried thyme and 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Salt, pepper, and chopped parsley

Method

1. Toss the Beef Chuck with flour, salt, and pepper, then sear in oil in a hot skillet until crusted on two sides — browning is flavor you can't add later.
2. Deglaze the skillet with the ale, scraping up every dark bit, and pour it all into the slow cooker.
3. Add the onion, Carrot, Parsnip, stock, tomato paste, thyme, bay, and Worcestershire. Cook on LOW 8 hours (or HIGH 4½) until the beef falls apart under a spoon.
4. Season, fish out the bay leaf, and let the stew rest 10 minutes so the gravy settles and thickens.
5. Scatter with parsley and serve with mash or a slab of buttered bread.