Burgundy Beef Stew for Two

This recipe is my latest try with my 3 Quart Crock Pot. The original recipe is from the booklet that came with my pot.  Of course being who I am I could just do what they say but as usual I was compelled to add my own touches. The main changes were to add carrots, a quarter cup of cooking wine “Burgundy” (Carla! He's into the cooking wine again!) and  since it was at hand a one third of a packet beef stew seasoning mix from McCormick. I gave the result a 4.999 Stars because I used stew meat from Walmart and they cut it into small pieces and they shrank a lot. The meat was of course fall apart good but way too small to make a statement. I usualy buy stew meat that meets my specifications but took this shortcut instead. I will not make that mistake again.

On a lark I looked up French title of Burgundy Beef Stew and got this return  ” Boeuf Bourguignon” Now I am a French Cook! J Somehow everything sounds better in French!

I served both of us up with “French Bread hard rolls” made for us at CV’s Family Foods on College Street here in Fayetteville.

Makes 2 to 4 servings.

Here’s the recipe:

1 to 2 lbs. of stew meat in large pieces. 1’ to 1 1/2” in size.

¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon basil leaf

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1 ½ cups of low salt beef broth

1 teaspoon Worchester Sauce

1 garlic clove minced

1 bay leaf

10 to 12 small red potatoes cut in half

¼ onion chopped

1 stalk of celery chopped

1 carrot stick chopped

2 large mushrooms sliced

¼ cup of Burgundy cooking wine J

1/3 of McCormick Beef Stew seasoning mix.

Combine the flour and basil leaf in a bag. Add the meat and shake till meat is coated. You can add the additional step of pan searing the coated meat. I just add the coated meat to the pot. Set aside.

Combine the beef broth, the McCormick seasoning, any salt and pepper you care to add, the Worchester sauce the Burgundy cooking wine and the minced garlic. Set aside.

I line the crock pot with a Reynolds plastic liner for easy clean up.

Layer on the bottom of the pot with the potatoes, celery, onion, and carrots. Then place the coated meat on top of that. Place the sliced mushrooms next the finally pour the broth and premixed ingredients as above.

Cover and cook on high on low for 10 -12 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours.

Enjoy!