Slow Cooker Beef Pie Filling

• 250 grams cubed stewing beef
• 1 large onion
• 1 parsnip or root veg of your choice peeled (eg carrot, turnip)
• 2 clove garlic
• 400 grams tin of tomatoes (mashed to lumpy mush)
• 2 cubes of beef stock
• 1 half fill the empty tin of tomatoes with either red wine or water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 big pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 few sprigs of fresh thyme off the stalk

1. brown the beef off in a pan on a high heat.
2. make sure to do half the beef at a time to not over crowd.
3. add to the slow cooker pot
4. roughly dice the onion and parsnip.
5. thinly slice the garlic.
6. add it all to the pot and the water/wine
7. add the tomatoes and crumble the stock cubes into the pot.
8. add the bay leaves, thyme and salt and pepper
9. put the lid on and leave for 4 hours
10. once the meat is tender and falls apart turn off the heat.
11. using a holed spoon remove the meat.
12. either transfer the juices to a pan and simmer until reduced.
13. or as I like to do to make the juices richer sprinkle 2tbsp of beef gravy granules and mix in.
14. layer a pie dish with pastry then the meat.
15. pour the juices (now gravy) over the top and top with more pastry.
16. baste the lid with milk, melted butter or beaten egg.
17. poke a couple of holes in the top and bake until pastry is golden brown
18. skip out the pastry and just enjoy as a rich hearty stew

stewing beef, onion, root, clove garlic, tomatoes, beef stock, empty, bay leaves, salt, thyme

Taken from cookpad.com/uk/recipes/346637-slow-cooker-beef-pie-filling (may not work)