Old-Fashioned Beef Stew

¼ c flour combine toss, in 3 batches brown add to slow cooker     slow cook 8–10 hours on low or 4–6 hours on high slow cook 15 minutes remove the bay leaf!
1 t salt
½ t freshly ground black pepper
2 lb stewing beef  
1 T vegetable oil  
2 c beef stock   deglaze add to slow cooker
4 carrots, peeled and sliced   add to slow cooker
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, diced, or 15–20 white pearl onions, peeled
19 oz can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 bay leaf
1 T Worcestershire sauce
¼ c chopped fresh parsley or 2 T dried
1 c frozen peas   add to slow cooker
  1. combine flour, salt, and pepper in a plastic bag or other container
  2. toss beef, ⅓ at a time, in the flour
  3. brown beef on all sides on medium-high heat
  4. add beef to slow cooker
  5. add beef stock to the pan and boil, stirring up the brown bits
  6. pour all the stock into the slow cooker
  7. add everything else, except for the peas, to the slow cooker
  8. cook on low heat for 8–10 hours, or on high heat for 4–6 hours
  9. put the peas in the slow cooker and stir
  10. continue cooking for 15 minutes
  11. remove the bay leaf

shamelessly stolen from 300 Slow Cooker Favorites by Donna-Marie Pye, as retold in 30-Minute Miracle: The Record, 3 October 2007 by Luisa D'Amato