[Jane1]

So this is my contribution to the recipe pool. I am a huge fan of Crock-Pot cooking (requires little effort; can use inexpensive cuts of meat; hard to screw it up; family is generally tickled with the results) so this calls for use of a Crock-Pot. I came up with this based on my love of goulash & trying to convert things I love into tasty low carb versions.

I've never posted a recipe here so I do not have the actual nutritional breakdowns and even some of the ingredient measurements are "eyeballed"...but here goes.. & no, many of the ingredients are not Induction-Friendly. But you have to get past Induction eventually!

Crock-Pot Beef 'n Beer Goulash

1/2 package of bacon - we but the "No Sugar" brand by Carolina Pride.
3 lbs beef stew meat, cut into little bite size portions
1 large white onion - cut in small wedges
2 tsp Minced garlic (I use the kind in the little jars found in the produce section)
1 bay leaf - big one!
2 bottles of Michelob Ultra beer
2 TBsp soy sauce
2 TBsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dried thyme
3-4 TBsp Hungarian Paprika (not regular paprika...but Hungarian) Can find in a square container in your better stocked grocery stores
Salt & black pepper to taste
2 jars of sliced mushrooms (2 oz jars)
1-2 large green peppers - chopped (Depending on how much you really dig green peppers - either leave out altogether or add in 1 or 2 - your choice)
Xanthan Gum - Thickening agent. The amount can vary as a little goes a long way. We used approx. 1 TBsp.
sour cream

Just for info sake. We cooked the bacon & lightly LIGHTLY browned the stew meat in a Le Creuset oval dutch oven & cooked the goulash in a 3 qt Rival Crock-Pot.

Take kitchen scissors & snip up half a package of 'No Sugar" bacon by Carolina Pride & cook until crispy. I snip the bacon in little mini pieces as I add them into the pan - rather than crumble the bacon into little pieces after it's cooked as it's much easier to snip raw bacon & less messy!!).
Drain on paper towel.

Pour off the bacon drippings & very lightly brown the stew beef. I sprinkle salt & pepper over the meat immediately after I drop them into the dutch oven. Don't overcook! The goal isn't to cook the meat or get anywhere near that point - that's what the Crock-Pot is for! Just get a few sides of the meat chunks a tad colored then pull out of the pot. All in all it takes maybe 2 minutes in the dutch oven (or skillet) on medium to medium high heat.

Into the Crock-Pot add the stew meat, bay leaf, bacon pieces, onion, green peppers, garlic & mushrooms. Stir.

In a medium size bowl, add in the 2 bottles Michelob Ultra, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, thyme & Hungarian paprika. Stir. Pour into Crock-Pot. Stir well, cover & cook on HIGH for approx 3-3 1/2 hours or on LOW for approx. 6 - 6 1/2 hours.

Check to see if you need a tad more salt and pepper & even Hungarian paprika near the end!
Adjust as needed.
Add in Xanthan Gum by mixing the XG in a little cup with some of the broth straight out of the Crock-Pot until the Xanthan Gun is dissolved. Never add the XG straight into the the dish w/out first mixing in a little cup or bowl or it will never dissolve & you will have little dry XG globs in the goulash!
Add the dissolved XG to the Crock-Pot & stir well. Give it a few good minutes to thicken up the broth a bit. May need to add more if you prefer!

We eat this like a stew so I don't like a lot of XG as I don't want a chili-like consistency. Don't forget to take out the bay leaf!

Can add a dollop of sour cream on top & it's like you are eating at that little open-air restaurant in Ramstein!

I tend to take chef liberties & add an extra pinch of paprika, garlic, etc. I tend to also add cayenne pepper in some quantity to just about every dish I cook - so I added a big pinch of cayenne too. aka Jane's secret ingredient!

Hope someone will give this a try - it's really yummy. My family loves it , I love it (and I generally find fault with everything I cook) & it makes for some serious tasty leftovers (and I HATE leftovers).

Happy low-carb cooking ! Jane

[DebB]

Thanks for sharing your YUMMY looking recipe Jane! Like you, I love crock pot meals too. *Ü*
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Started Somersizing Feb. 2001