Slow Cooker Recipe that Serves 8
Ingredients
1 Tbsp vegetable oil (15 ml)
4 Oz Chunk of bacon or salt pork belly cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) cubes (125 g)
2 lbs stewing beef cut into 1 inch 2.5 cm cubes (1kg)
1 lb mushrooms, whole or halved depending on size (500 g)
3 carrots peeled and thinly sliced
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme leaves or 2 sprigs fresh thyme (5 ml)
1 tsp salt (5 ml)
1/2 tsp black pepper (2.5 ml)
1/2 cup all purpose flour (125 ml)
1/2 cup condensed beef broth undiluted (125 ml)
2 cups dry red wine (I usually use a pinot noir or a GSM rhone style wine) (500 ml)
1 bay leaf
zest of 1 orange
chopped parsley
Instructions
1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add bacon or salt pork and cook until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Drain off all but 2 Tbsp (25 ml) of fat in pan.
2. Add beef to pan, in batches, and brown. Transfer to slow cooker, using slotted spoon.
3. Add mushrooms to pan and cook until tops are slightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add carrots and onion to pan. Cover and cook until vegetables are softened, about 10 min. Increase heat to medium. Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and cook stirring for 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add beef broth and wine and cook, stirring, until thickened (We sometimes just add broth at this point and add wine in slow cooker). Stir in bacon or salt pork, bay leaf and orange zest.
4. Add mixture to slow cooker stoneware. Stir to thoroughly combine ingredients. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours OR on high for 4 to 5 hours, until beef is very tender. Discard bay leaf. Just before serving, garnish liberally with parsley.
We serve this over garlic mashed potatoes (using oven baked garlic for the garlic mashed).
This dish is a wonderful match to: pinot noir, especially the more burgundian styled wines. However, it also good with CdR and CdPs. We just had this dish for company the past weekend and it was a hit. The wine match was: Le Clos Jordanne 2005 "Claystone Terrace" a burgundian styled Ontario pinot and it was a wonderful match
. Also matched with a 2005 New Zealand pinot by Alan Scott. Also a good match 
but not quite as good as the Claystone Terrace.Tasting note on the Le Clos Jordanne:
Beautiful ruby red wine with an earthy cherry nose. Sumptuous midpalate of mushrooms, cherries and hint of oak, smooth tannins and refreshing acidity to provide a great balance. Medium to long spicy cherry finish and a hint of lingering minerality. Probably the best Ontario pinot I have had.