2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2" cubes
1 pound small red potatoes, quartered
1½ cup carrots, peeled and large diced
1½ cup celery, large diced
½ onion quartered
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups chicken or beef stock
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, rough chopped
2 sprigs rosemary, whole
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Put a large sauté pan on high heat. Add in oil. When oil becomes hot, carefully add in beef (in small batches if your pan is not large enough, to prevent steaming the beef). Season with 1 teaspoon of salt, and pepper. Adjust the heat as needed. Remove from pan when all sides have browned. Place into a 6-quart slow cooker.
In the same pan, on medium high heat, add in onions, carrots, and celery. If needed, add in a bit more oil as well. Sauté for about 5 minutes until vegetables start to roast in pan and develop a nice color.
When vegetables are roasted, add in garlic. Cook for one minute just until it becomes fragrant. Add in tomato paste. Stir, toasting the tomato paste for deep flavor for about 2-3 minutes.
Deglaze with chicken/beef stock. Be sure to scrape the little bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
When all the little bits have been lifted, pour everything into the slow cooker on top of beef. Add in potatoes, thyme, and rosemary. Mix.
Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours and 30 minutes.
Add in 1 teaspoon salt. Mix well.
Serve with a side of polenta or rice.