Crockpot Comfort Food

About author / Pamela Chester

Mom of two; graduate French Culinary Institute; kids cooking program instructor; Master's degree in food studies. Creates kid friendly foods and loves her slow cooker.

Have you ever had one of those days where nothing seems to go right? I had one of those yesterday, and when I arrived home I craved some warm, comforting food. The morning started with a baby mouse sighting and a stubbed toe. Then after a long day, my evening’s drive home involved being stopped in flooding conditions, then getting a flat tire on my brand new car.

After finally getting the spare tire on in the rain and getting the car to the dealer where I bought it, I found out I wouldn’t be able to get a replacement tire for two days. When I finally arrived at home I grabbed the nearest thing I could find to cook for dinner, a box of macaroni shells and cheese powder. In my haste, I did not realize that the only milk I had turned sour, and so dinner went down the drain. At this point I realized that a little foresight and planning would have saved the day! If I had come home to a warm dinner that had been cooking all day in the crockpot, it might have improved my outlook a bit.

When it comes to cooking comfort food, the slow cooker wins hands down over all other methods. Not only do you have a wonderful hot meal, but the aroma of the food seems to permeate the air, giving a general sense of well being all around. There are comfort food classics such as chili, macaroni and cheese, and chicken noodle soup. But sometimes it doesn’t hurt to think outside the box a little. You can do this by reinterpreting the classics with your own twists, or taking comfort food dishes from various ethnic traditions and making them your own.

This slow-cooker interpretation of a Belgian beef stew called Carbonnades Flamandes is cooked with a delicious secret ingredient: beer. It can be made up to a day in advance, making it perfect if you know you have a long hectic day ahead. Simply cool and refrigerate, tightly covered. Rewarm the stew gently when you are ready to eat it, and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

A good recipe using beer will have a distinct light, not dominant flavor of beer in the finished dish; make sure to pick a dark beer that is full flavored. If you can't find a brown ale, use a strong, dark beer, but not a stout. You can of course, use non-alcoholic beer if the alcohol content is a concern. Beer also has tenderizing properties, making it an excellent choice for a marinade for tougher cuts of meat. Make sure to allow enough time for the flavors to blend. Soups, stews and other slow-cooked dishes made with beer taste better than quick sauces make by deglazing a skillet.

Believe it or not, in moderation, beer actually has some healthy properties. It contains vitamins and minerals that help you concentrate, increase blood circulation, stimulate the metabolism, and are good for nerve production. The hops, low alcohol content, and carbonation help relax the body. Just what I needed after a day like yesterday!

Serves/Makes: 8

• 4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 2 pounds beef bottom round, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 yellow onions, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
• 3/4 pound sliced cremini or white button mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups brown ale or dark beer
• 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, for garnish