Slow Cooker Beef Stew

[barbszy]

as posted by honeybee in WFD 07/06:

Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Takes about 15-20 mins to prepare
Takes about 7 Hours to be ready total.
Makes 2 meals for family of 5.

3 pounds cubed beef stew meat
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
3 tbsp olive oil
1 cup baby carrots
4 lge potatoes, cubed
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups boiling water
1 (1oz, or 28g) pkt dry onion soup mix
3 tbsp butter
3 onions, sliced
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup warm water
2 tbsp flour for thickening

1 Put meat in a large plastic bag. Mix 1/4 cup flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt; pour into the bag with the
meat, and shake to coat.
2 Heat olive oil in a large skillet/pan over medium-high
heat. Add meat and evenly brown. Transfer to slow
cooker along with the carrots, potatoes, parsley, and pepper. In another bowl, stir together the 2 cups of boiling water and dry soup mix; pour into the slow cooker.
3 In the same skillet/pan, melt butter and sauté onions until softened then put into the slow cooker. Pour red wine into the skillet and stir to loosen browned bits of food on the bottom.
Remove from heat, and pour into the slow cooker.
4 Cover, and cook on High for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to Low, and cook for 6 hours, or until meat is fork tender. In a small bowl or cup, mix together 2 tablespoons flour with 1/4 cup warm water. Stir into stew, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until thickened.