Slow-Cooker Japanese-Style Curried Beef

by Shannon Hayes in her wonderful book titled, Long Way on a Little

4 medium yellow or white onions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 medium potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
5 carrots, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
¾ cup all-purpose flour, divided
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons curry powder, divided use (reduce the amount if you like your food less spicy)
3 pounds Princess Beef stew, cubed
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, plus extra, if needed
4 cups canned tomatoes, diced undrained
2 cups beef both
2 teaspoons garam masala (optional)

Layer the onions, garlic, potatoes, and carrots in the bottom of a large slow cooker. Combine 1/2 cup of the flour, the salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the curry powder in a shallow bowl. Add the beef and toss to coat thoroughly. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown on all sides, working in batches and adding more butter if necessary. As it is browned, put the beef on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker. Pour in the tomatoes and beef broth.

Cook on low for 6 ½ hours, or until the meat is tender. Stir in the garam masala and allow the stew to continue cooking while you prepare the curry roux.

For the curry roux: Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the remaining ¼ cup flour and 1 to 2 tablespoons of the curry powder. Spoon 2 cups liquid from the slow cooker and slowly stir it into the roux. Stir well. Continue to cook and stir until the mixture has thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Return the thickened sauce to the cooker and mix well with a wooden spoon.

If you like your sauce thicker, put the slow cooker setting on high and cook 20 to 30 minutes longer with the cover off, stirring often, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Serve with rice and a nice helping of kimchi, if you’ve got it.
Serves 6-8.