EASY Boeuf Bourguignon (Beef Stew) with Herb Dumplings and Garlic Mashers in a Slow Cooker - 52 Crock Pot Easy Dishes

Straight up... This may be my very favorite meal I have ever tasted... Certainly the best thing I have ever made in a Slow Cooker.  No exaggeration... THIS IS Dang GOOD!

And EASY (and I can't say it enough... GOOD)

The recipe below for the stew actually only has a few ingredients.  BUT I have included optional recipes for the dumplings and for Garlic Mashed Potatoes as well.  So, please do not be scared off by the seemingly long list of ingredients.  You can just as easily drop some Bisquick biscuit mix dough balls into the slow cooker as to make them from scratch.  And of course feel free to simply make your own favorite mashed potato recipe (but those garlic mashers are good).

For me, the real beauty of the recipe is the rich thick gravy.  The gravy just demands something to soak up the goo.  Pour this over the potatoes and you have that perfect combination of taste and heart warming comfort food.

I do hope we break the weather cycle of cold weather soon with a few days of Indian Summer temperatures, but until...

I would eat this everyday for the rest of my life!

OK... Here's what I did...

Boeuf Bourguignon with Herb Dumplings and Garlic Mashers
in a Slow Cooker

Ingredients

• 4 TBS Butter
• 3 Ribs Celery, sliced
• 5 Medium Carrots, Cut into 2-3 inch long quarters
• 3 Medium Onions, peeled and cut into quarters
• 3 Pounds Top Round Steak / Roast or Lean Stew Meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 TBS Italian Seasonings spice mix
• 1 TBS Mustard Powder Spice
• 3/4 Cup Dry Red Wine (can substitute Beef Stock)
• 2 Cans (14.5 Ounces) Diced Tomatoes with Juices
• FOR THE ROUX...
  4 TBS Butter
• 4 TBS Flour
• FOR THE HERB DUMPLINGS... 1/2 Cup plus 1 TBS Half and Half
• 1-1/2 Cup Flour
• 1 TBS Baking Powder
• 1/2 TBS Powdered Sugar
• A Large Pinch Salt
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 2 TBS Canola Oil
• 2 TBS Herbes de Provence Spice Mix, can substitute a mix of dried Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Garlic,
• FOR THE HERBED MASHED POTATOES... 2 pounds Russet Potatoes (rinsed, peeled and cubed 1/2 inch size)
• 2 pounds Red potatoes (rinsed and cubed 1/2 inch size)
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 TBS Dill Spice
• 1/4 Cup Garlic Chives
• 3/4 Cup Buttermilk
• 1/4 Cup Heavy Cream
• 6 Cloves Garlic, peeled and mashed and minced

Cooking Directions

1. In a heavy bottomed Frying Pan (Cast iron Skillet works GREAT), melt the butter over Medium high heat. Add the Celery, Carrots and Onions and Saute for about 5 minutes, until vegetables are softened and onions turn translucent. Transfer vegetables to the Slow Cooker.
2. Next, brown the Beef Cubes in batches in the same Heavy bottomed skillet, about 3 minutes per side so the beef has char marks. Transfer these cubes to the slow cooker.
3. Add the Mustard spice, Italian Seasonings mix to the beef, stir to mix the vegetables and beef with the seasonings. Add the Red Wine and stir to coat. Top with the Diced Tomatoes (with liquid).
4. Cover, set Slow cooker to LOW (8 hours) or HIGH (8 hours). Set and forget, the beef will become tender and the flavors infuse the vegetables as the slow cooker does it's magic!
5. 30 minutes before you are ready to serve, Make a thickening Roux... In a small skillet, melt 4 TBS butter over medium low heat. Whisk in the flour, 1 TBS at a time. Continue to whisk for 4 minutes until the roux just starts to smell like almonds. Add to the Slow Cooker and stir to mix with the liquid. Recover and set the cooker to HIGH
6. NEXT, for the Dumplings, Combine and whisk the dry ingredients for the Dumplings. Add the Canola Oil and stir to mix. Add the Half and Half and Herbs and stir until just combined. Do not over mix.
7. Drop Spoonfuls of the dough on to the HOT beef stew, then cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the herb dumplings comes out clean.
8. MEANWHILE, for the Garlic Mashers, while the dumplings are cooking, Make Garlic Mashed Potatoes... Place all spud hunks in a 4 quart saucepan and add just enough cold water to cover. Add 1 tsp salt to the pot, cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
9. Meanwhile, combine the buttermilk, cream and garlic to a 2 quart saucepan and bring to simmer over low heat. Watch to make sure the mixture does not boil over. Stir occasionally.
10. When the spud water boils, ditch the lid, drop the heat to simmer and cook until the taters are easily crushed with tongs. Drain the potatoes well. The less moisture, the better.
11. Add the final teaspoon of salt, add 1/4 of the buttermilk mixture and start smashing.
12. As the spuds break down, add more of the buttermilk mixture. Remember these are smashed potatoes, not whipped potatoes. The red potatoes will mash well, the russet potatoes will mash slightly, but also some will remain whole, leaving a nice mixture of creamy potatoes with firm hunks floating. Mash to your desired results.
13. Add additional Chives if desired for an herbal look.
14. Serve Stew over the Potatoes, the Dumplings on the side and ENJOY!!!

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So,  I am pleased to list this as one of my Growing list of "52 Ways to Cook SLOW COOKER-CROCK POT Easy Recipes"!!!

From meat dishes (Like an AMAZING Root Beer Pulled Pork that will feed a small army), to kitchen staples (FREE Gallon of Chicken Stock anyone?) to a slew of Soup and Stew recipes, these are the dishes that will change the way you cook.  Start in the morning, set and forget and dinner is on the table... Easy Peasy indeed!!!

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