Servings: 8

2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 pounds stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound baby red potatoes, quartered 1 pound baby red potatoes, quartered
4 carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices 4 carrots, cut diagonally into ½-inch-thick slices
1 onion, diced 1 onion, diced
1 cup frozen peas 1 cup frozen peas
3 cloves garlic, minced 3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups beef broth 3 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon caraway seeds, optional 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, optional
2 bay leaves 2 bay leaves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Stir together the beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire, thyme, rosemary, paprika, caraway seeds to create a broth mixture. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, should be enough to lightly coat bottom of pan.
Season beef with salt, pat dry. Add beef to the skillet and cook until evenly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Pat dry before flipping for best sear. Get it seared nice and dark brown. Set beef aside to cool.
Turn the heat down to medium/medium low (residual heat is gonna be hot already), and immediately throw your onions in the pan, cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Salt to taste, this will also draw out water to help get loosen the fond. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Scrape fond off the bottom. If it's not coming off, add some of your broth mixture to help. This step isn't trying to cook the onions, but to collect the flavor of the fond in the pan.
Place beef, potatoes, carrots, and bay leaves into a 6-qt slow cooker. Pour the broth mixture over everything. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Cover and cook on low heat for 7 to 8 hours or high heat for 3 to 4 hours.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour and ½ cup stew broth. Strain in and stir the flour mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until thickened.
Stir in the frozen peas and serve immediately (peas thaw in stew), garnished with parsley, if desired. Finally, add any last minute salt/pepper to taste.

Make sure to make flour mixture on its own. It will clump if you put the flour straight into the slow cooker.  Make sure to make flour mixture on its own. It will clump if you put the flour straight into the slow cooker.