Heat half of the oil in a frying pan and fry the beef pieces for 4–5 minutes, or until browned all over. (You may need to brown the meat in batches.) Tip the browned meat into the slow cooker.
Look for beef that's firm to the touch. Avoid wet, slimy meat and meat with a greenish-grey tinge and an 'off' smell. Always check the 'use by' dates on pre-packed meat. Colour is often cited as a ...
When it was just my husband and I for dinner, this compact slow cooker provided the perfect solution – a small beef stew, which was succulent, with very soft meat. Then when we had friends round ...