Braised Beef w/Rich Gravy

Ingredients:
2lbs stew beef, round steak, or sirloin tip roast (my fav), CUT into 1 inch cubes
Salt & Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 TBs olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced into thin wedges
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups beef broth plus 1 cup, if needed for gravy
4 Tbs flour
3/4 cup ice water

Sprinkle the beef cubes with salt & pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skilled. Add the meat and sauté until well browned, remove to a bowl, and keep warm. In the same skillet, sauté the onions & mushrooms, and garlic until the onions are translucent

Add 3 cups of the broth, and bring to a simmer, stirring the mixture often and scraping up any browned bits. Return the beef to the skillet, cover tightly and simmer for 1 hour or more until beef is tender. IF the liquid starts to boil over, turn the heat down slightly.

Periodically check the stew to make sure there is ample liquid for cooking the meat and for making gravy afterward. If too much has boiled doff, add the fourth cup of broth. Once ready whisk flou/corn starch/arrowroot into the ice water until smooth. Gradually stir this thickener into the simmering beef & broth Bring to a slow boil ad cook for a few seconds, stirring, until the gravy thickens.

Serve over rice or egg noodles.

I have frozen just the meat and gravy after cooking and it comes out yummy later.

You can also stir in a container of sour cream at the end to have something more like stroganoff.