Italian beef stew

Ingredients

2.5 kg chuck or boneless shin/gravy beef

2 large onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 red capsicum, thickly sliced

1 green capsicum, thickly sliced

4 tbsp plain flour

700 ml bottle tomato pasta sauce

0.5 cup tomato paste

2.5 cups beef stock

1 cup black olives

a few sprigs each of oregano and rosemary

pasta and green vegetables like broccolini to serve

Cut beef into about 2.5cm-3cm cubes. Season with salt and pepper. Add and ¼ cup oil to the beef, mix well. Heat a large frypan over a medium high heat. Brown the beef in 4 batches. Remove each batch and place it in the slow cooker.
Reduce heat in pan and add a little oil, add the onion and garlic, cook for 1 minute. Add the capsicums and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until the vegetables are coated with the flour cook stirring until mixture boils. Pour over the beef in the slow cooker. Add the combined pasta sauce and tomato paste. Add the stock, olives and herbs. Stir to mix.
Cover the slow cooker with its lid, cook on Low Setting for 8-10 hours or the High Setting for 4-5 hours. Serve with pasta and broccolini.
Note: This recipe is designed for a large slow cooker, one of about a 5 litre capacity. It can be halved for smaller slow cookers.
Cooktop method: Place the browned beef and other ingredients in a heavy-based pot. Partially cover, keep the heat low. Simmer until the meat is very tender. Stir occasionally; add water if needed during the cooking time to keep ingredients well covered

Your favourite traditional casserole recipes can be easily cooked in a slow cooker . The most important rule is that you ensure the food and/or liquid fills at least half to three quarters of the removable crockery bowl that sits in the slow cooker. Smaller slow cooker models will generally take a regular recipe designed for 4 or 6 people. Cooking in the larger slow cookers will mean that you may need to double the ingredients for the recipe.
The high and low settings on the slow cooker mean you have the option to cook the casserole in around 4 to 5 hours or the longer option of 8 to 10 hours. Little or no stirring is required when using the Low setting, however stirring the casserole occasionally when using the High setting gives good flavour distribution.
Best beef cuts for or casseroling: Chuck or Boneless shin/Gravy beef (these cuts take 2-2½ hours to cook). Topside, Round and Blade take 1-1½ hours to cook.