Slow Cooker Braised Steak And Onions
Slow Cooker Braised Steak and Onions is an easy set and forget recipe making for a comforting dinner, perfect for busy weeknight's.
Servings: 4
Calories: 561kcal
Ingredients
- 4 beef oyster blade steaks Note 1
- ½ teaspoon salt Note 2
- ½ teaspoon black pepper also Note 2
- 2 large onions peeled and sliced into rings, Note 3
- 2 large carrots peeled and chopped, Note 4
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme Note 5
- 1 tablespoon garlic Note 6
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste Note 7
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce Note 8
- 2 cups/500 ml beef stock (beef broth) Note 9
- 1 cup mushrooms sliced in halves, quarters or pieces, Note 10
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 tablespoons water
To serve (optional):
- mashed potato
- flat leaf parsley stems trimmed, leaves finely chopped,
- black pepper
Instructions
- Steak: place each steak onto a clean cutting board in one layer. Season with salt and pepper then use tongs to flip them to the other side and season this side with salt and pepper for each steak.
- Vegetables: spread the sliced onion rings across the base of the slow cooker insert. Then add the diced carrots as a layer on top. Next use the tongs to place the seasoned steaks on top of the carrots. When ready sprinkle the dried thyme over the top of the ingredients.
- Liquids: now add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock to the bowl. Once you have, put the lid on, set the timer to 5 hours on low heat and then put the lid on.
- Mushrooms: after 5 hours, remove the lid and add the sliced mushrooms to the slow cooker. Use a wooden spoon to gently stir, then put the lid back on and allow the mushrooms to cook for about 30 minutes.
- Corn starch: mix together 1 tablespoon of corn starch with 2 tablespoons of tap water. Ensure that there are no lumps and the combination is smooth. When it is pour this into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Then put the lid back on and allow this to thicken the sauce for at least 30 minutes.
- To serve: once the total cook time of 6 hours is up, remove the lid and set this aside. Dollop portions of the slow cooker braised steak and onions onto plates with mashed potatoes. Garnish with black pepper and chopped parsley.
Notes
-
- Note 1 - Steak: I use and recommend beef oyster blade steak for this recipe. Usually you can get 4 in a pack which is the perfect size for the slow cooker. They break apart during the cooking process and offer an inexpensive cut of steak that melts in your mouth!
- Note 2 - Salt and pepper: we use salt and black pepper to season the steaks before we add them to the slow cooker.
- Note 3 - Onion: peeled and sliced into rings. These get layered into the slow cooker insert as the 1st ingredient. There is no need to grease or spray the bowl with oil before adding them.
- Note 4 - Carrots: peeled and chopped into chunks.
- Note 5 - Thyme: this dried herb offers a ton of flavor in the recipe! We only use a small amount, yet this amount is plenty to bring the taste we are looking for to the recipe without overpowering any of the other flavors.
- Note 6 - Garlic: you can use 2-3 fresh garlic cloves finely chopped, chunky chopped garlic like you see in the photo in the ingredients shot or store bought minced garlic. Choose whichever type is the most convenient for you.
- Note 7 - Tomato paste: thick and rich, this helps to create a depth of flavor in the steak sauce. This is different to tomato puree (passata).
- Note 8 - Worcestershire sauce: a secret sauce known for giving a little oomph to recipes!
- Note 9 - Beef stock or broth: beef stock or beef broth as it is known in some countries. This is the main component of the sauce and helps to keep everything moist and juicy as the steaks cook. You can use packaged stock or make the equivalent amount using stock cubes and water (this is often cheaper).
- Note 10 - Mushrooms: sliced into pieces or halves, both options work. The mushrooms don't need as much time to cook as the other vegetables, so we add these towards the end of the cook time so that they don't go mushy.
- Note 11 - Corn starch: we use a little corn starch to thicken the sauce towards the final stages of the cooking time. Simply mix 1 tablespoon of it with 2 tablespoons of water and whisk until smooth. Then pour into the slow cooker and allow at least 30 minutes for it to thicken the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 561kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 850mg | Potassium: 1291mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 6189IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 6mg