Ingredients
Scale
Gathering your ingredients is like preparing for a culinary adventure, each item a brushstroke in the painting of your meal. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (for that extra touch of warmth)
Feel free to substitute with what you have on hand — perhaps a splash of red wine instead of Worcestershire sauce or a sprinkle of rosemary in place of thyme. Cooking should be as flexible and forgiving as a Devon countryside walk — meandering and delightful.
Instructions
Cooking this dish is like writing a chapter of a beloved book, each step unfolding a new layer of flavor and memory. Here’s how you do it:
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat until fully cooked. Drain the excess fat and transfer the beef to your crockpot.
- Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet, sautéing until the onion is translucent and fragrant. Add this to the crockpot with the beef.
- Pour in the beef broth and diced tomatoes, stirring in the tomato paste until well combined.
- Add the sliced carrots, chopped celery, thyme, paprika, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf to the crockpot.
- If you’re feeling adventurous, sprinkle in that optional cinnamon for a hint of sweet warmth that harks back to childhood desserts.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded beautifully.
- Remove the bay leaf before serving and adjust seasoning if needed. Enjoy with a sprinkle of fresh parsley for a touch of color.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International
