INGREDIENTS
- 2 Tbs vegetable oil
- 5 Slices Bacon
- 1 lb boneless beef for stew (round, chuck or roast), cut in 1-inch cubes
- 1⁄4 Tsp salt (to taste)
- 1⁄4 Tsp black pepper
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 Tbs sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1 Tsp caraway seed
- 5 small potatoes, peeled & sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 2 Carrots, peeled & sliced
- 32oz beef broth
- 1.5 cups water
- 15oz Tomato Sauce
- Sour Cream (optional)
DIRECTIONS
- Fry bacon in large pan, remove, crumble and set aside (but keep bacon fat in pan)
- Add vegetable oil to pan and heat over medium-high
- Add & brown the beef on all sides then transfer to a plate and season with salt and pepper & set aside
- Add more oil to the skillet (if needed) and heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the flour, garlic, paprika, and caraway and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Place the potato & carrot rounds in the bottom of a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker.
- Add the beef, bacon and vegetables.
- Pour in the broth, water and tomato sauce.
- Cover and cook on low for 7 hours
- Spoon into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream (if desired)