Preparation

1. Season beef with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper; dust lightly with flour, shaking off excess. Heat olive oil and butter in a 12-inch skillet. When hot, sauté the beef in batches, until nicely browned. Once all the beef has been browned stir the beer into the skillet and bring to a simmer.
2. While the beef is browning prepare vegetables. Insert the metal chopping blade into a Cuisinart® food processor. Add the parsley and chop. Remove and reserve separately to use once dish is complete. With the machine running drop the garlic through the feed tube to finely chop. Add the onions and celery together and chop by pulsing – about 10 to 12 pulses.
3. Add the browned beef adn the chopped vegetables, baby carrts, thyme, broth, and tomato paste into the slow cooker pot. Cover and select Low for 9 hours. Slow cooker will automatically switch to Warm when cooking time has elapsed.
4. Degrease the cooking liquid with a fat mop (or pour the liquid into a fatseparator and allow the fat to rise to the top. Then pour the defatted liquid back into the cooked vegetables). Stir in chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly. Serve with mashed potatoes or creamy polenta.

*To make preparation easy – brown the beef and chop the vegetables the night before and refrigerate. This way the dish will be ready all you need to do is place it in your slow cooker the morning and it will be ready for dinner that night. And remember stews are always better once reheated the next day!