PREPARATION:
1st Step
Season the beef stew meat heavily with salt and pepper to start. This is a crucial step to build flavor in the dish.
2nd Step
Even more flavor may be added by browning the beef in a pan before putting it in the crockpot, but this step is left out of Grandma’s recipe for the sake of convenience.
3rd Step
Layer the beef stew meat, onion, and garlic in a large crockpot, seasoning each layer as you go.
4th Step
In another bowl, mix together the cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and dried thyme. The trick to Grandma’s slow cooker beef and onions was to mix the sauce thoroughly before pouring it over the meat and vegetables.
5th Step
Cook for 6 to 8 hours on low heat in a crock pot. Beef that has been cooked slowly turns out tender and full of flavor from the sauce.
6th Step
By package directions, cook the wide egg noodles for about 30 minutes before serving. To prevent the noodles from becoming mushy in the slow cooker, Grandma insisted on boiling them on the stovetop separately.
