Martha'S Beef Stew - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 lbs beef chuck, trimmed of visible fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup tomato paste
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
coarse salt and pepper, to taste
1 lb medium onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 lb small white potatoes, well scrubbed, halved if large
1 lb carrot, cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths
6 garlic cloves, smashed
2 bay leaves

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F.
In a Dutch oven (5 quart) with a tight fitting lid, combine beef, tomato paste, vinegar, and flour; season with salt and pepper.
Add onions, potatoes, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil. Cover, transfer to oven, cook until meat is fork tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove bay leaves and,if desired, season with salt and pepper before serving.
CROCKPOT/SLOW COOKER METHOD: Place beef in a 5-quart slow cooker. Distribute tomato paste, vinegar, and flour over beef; season generously with salt and pepper. Add onions, potatoes, carrots, garlic, and bay leaves. Cover slow cooker; cook on high until beef is fork-tender, about 5 hours (or cook on low heat 8 hours).