Slow Cooker Pepper Steak with Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs beef round steak, sliced thin — Chuck steak works too, just trim it well.

2 tablespoons olive oil — Or vegetable oil, if that’s what you’ve got.

2 bell peppers — One red, one green for that pretty color. Yellow works fine, too.

1 large onion, sliced — Sweet or yellow, whichever’s handy.

8 oz mushrooms, sliced — Button or cremini are perfect.

3 cloves garlic, minced — Fresh is best, but jarred’ll do in a pinch.

1 cup beef broth — Homemade? Even better. Store-bought works just fine.

1/4 cup soy sauce — Low-sodium if you like to control the salt.

1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water — For thickening that luscious gravy.

Salt & pepper, to taste.

Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish — Not mandatory, but it sure looks nice.

DIRECTIONS:

First things first — warm up a big skillet over medium heat. Add your olive oil and swirl it around until it shimmers. Toss in the beef strips and brown them in batches — don’t overcrowd the pan or they’ll steam instead of sear. This browning step? Don’t skip it. It builds so much flavor.

Once browned, pile the beef into your slow cooker. Scrape every last bit of those tasty drippings in there, too — that’s liquid gold.

Next up: layer in your sliced bell peppers, onion, mushrooms, and garlic right on top of the beef. It’ll look like a lot — trust me, it all cooks down beautifully.

Grab a small bowl and whisk together the beef broth and soy sauce. Pour it gently over the beef and veggies. Give everything a little nudge with a spoon so that sauce seeps down.

Lid on, slow cooker set to low — now you wait. Let it go for about 6 to 8 hours. By then, the beef will be melt-in-your-mouth tender and your kitchen will smell downright irresistible.

About half an hour before you plan to eat, stir together the cornstarch and water in a cup. Lift the lid, swirl that cornstarch slurry in, stir gently, and cover again. This will thicken the sauce just enough to cling to every bite.

Right before serving, taste and adjust with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over a handful of fresh parsley if you’re feeling fancy.