VAL'S SLOWCOOKER FIREBALL STEW RECIPE; Castle Rock-WA

Val's Slowcooker Fireball Stew, over mashed potatoes - is delish! 

BRRR! It was freaking c.o.l.d., this morning 🥶

BRRR! 6 AM; Castle Rock-WA I-5 Corridor

7:15 AM; Looking out my Livingroom window while preparing Supper - I glimpsed fog so thick, the Space Age Truck Stop across the busy freeway was barely discernable.

When I woke up this cold morning, I decided to make a beef stew 🤔: since it is March, I opted for an adaptation 👨‍🍳 of a hearty Irish 🍀 beef stew to warm the bones 🦴, tantalize the senses 👃, and make our taste buds happy 😋

I pulled the beef 🐮🥩 from the freezer, grabbed the veggies from the 'fridge in passing -  and reached for the Fireball Whiskey for the warmth it would add to the meal, all the way around 😊

Cooking a beef stew with whiskey can enhance the flavor - using a cinnamon flavored whiskey will add a savory depth as well as fill your kitchen with a delicious aroma. The alcohol content acts as a natural tenderizer, breaking down tough fibers and enhancing the meat’s texture. When crafting a whiskey-infused beef stew 🍲, it is important to use whiskey in moderation to avoid overpowering the other ingredients. Simmering a meal with alcohol for two hours can still leave about 10% alcohol behind … so, the longer you cook, the more alcohol cooks off: after 4 to 6 hours of slow cooking, there will be barely a trace of alcohol at all - so, it's unlikely to impair your faculties.

I am also trying something new: stew with mashed potatoes - kinda reminiscent of a tipsy-turvy shepherd's pie 😉

VAL'S SLOWCOOKER FIREBALL BEEF STEW ~4 hearty servings

2–½ lb. Beef steak, cubed * 1/2 tsp Olive Oil * 2 tsp. Bacon Grease * 1 lrg White Onion, sliced * 3 Garlic cloves, pressed * 4 carrots, sliced * 2 Celery stalks, sliced * 1 c. Frozen Peas (thawed - or not) * 3 TBSP Flour, all-purpose * ½ c Fireball Whiskey * 1-½ c Beef Broth * 2 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce * 3 TBSP Ketchup * ½ tsp Thyme, dried * 2 Bay leaves * Salt Substitute & Black Pepper, to taste * 1 4-oz. Pkt. Instant Mashed Potatoes (I used Baby Reds) *  2 c. Water

1 Lrg. Skillet * 8-Qt. Slowcooker Crockpot * 1 Tea Ball (optional) * 1 Sauce Pan w-lid * Paper Towels * 1 Cutting Board * 1 Lrg. Kitchen Knife * 1 garlic Press * Measuring Spoons * 1 Lrg. Pyrex Measuring Cup * 1 small Whisk * 1 Lrg. Cooking Spoon, slotted * 1 Soup Ladle * Soup Bowls & Spoons

Ingredients; veggies, liquids, & spices.

1) Prepare veggies; set aside.

2) Cut meat into bite-sized cubes - with paper towels, pat dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil & bacon grease in a skillet, over medium-high heat. Add beef & and brown well all over; remove from skillet & place in the slowcooker crock - along with juices & browned bits.

Olive Oil, bacon grease, & beef cubes.

Browning the beef.

Beef, juices, & Browned bits placed in slowcooker crock.

3) Add remaining ingredients (the liquid should just cover the beef and vegetables; if you need to add a bit more water to reach that level, do so).

Sliced onion & Garlic added.

Sliced carrot, sliced celery, & peas added to crock.

Stir veggies & beef to incorporate evenly.

4) Place all liquids into Pyrex cup; add flour 1 TBSP at a time = blend thoroughly after each addition:

Whisk until mixture is smooth.

Pour over meat & veggies in crock:

Pour liquid mixture over blended veggies & meat.

Add spices (crushed Bay Leaf in tea ball) + additional water, if needed = I added 2 c more.

5) Cover, set temperature to HIGH for about 2 hours; then lower heat to LOW & continue cooking for an additional 4 hours … or until carrot is fork-tender.

Place lid over 8-Qt. Slowcooker Crockpot; set to HIGH for 2 hours = reduce heat to LOW, for 4 hours more.

6) When stew is done, remove bay leaves & turn temp dial down to WARM while you prepare the potatoes according to the packet directions:

The Instant potatoes I chose for tonight's meal.

Then, spoon a serving of prepared potatoes into a bowl, ladling stew atop. YUM!

Val's' Slowcooker Fireball Stew

Husband says this is a definite repeat 👍