Ok, I really am going to use my slow cooker this time: beef stew?

[Bumperlicioso]

Right, so this time I really am going to use the slow cooker as DH and I are at work tomorrow. So I've got some stewing beef, I'm going to stick some carrots, potatoes and onions in. Anything else I can stick in? (Don't like mushrooms or lentils). I'll coat the meat in flour. Should I add water? Or beef stock? And about how much?

And can I really leave it on all day without burning the house down?

Put enough water in with your sstock etc to cover the meat and yes you can leave it all day without burning the house down. It will be really tender and scrummy.

Yes you can leave it on all day!!

You need to put enough stock in to make sure the meat and veg are covered.

Or make it really scrummy, use red wine as the liquid along with a couple of stock cubes

or some tinned tomoatoes (with red wine!!)

Oh I'm defo going to put some red wine in it but not too much as that's very expensive stock!

Thanks for the tips.

i would brown the meat in seasoned flour first.

i love my slow cooker,and yes, you can leave it on all day

I was going to coat the meat in flour but do I have to brown it? I can't face doing that at 7am!

I don't bother to brown it and it still comes out fine.

I would definitely add a good large glass of red wine, some butternut squash and sweetcorn, and a small amount of spice (cumin, coriander and dried chilli). Turns it into a sort of latin american stew - gorgeous.

Bottle/can of beer (not lager) also makes a good gravy.