This Midwestern-style beef and noodles recipe is easy to make with a small list of ingredients and always so flavorful and comforting. See notes below for Crock-Pot or Instant Pot options!
PREPARATION TIME:
prep time:15 MINS
cook time:3 HOURS
total time:3 HOURS 15 MINS
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch pieces
fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large white onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups beef stock, divided
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 large bay leaf
12 ounces wide egg noodles
INSTRUCTIONS
Brown the beef. Add the beef to a large mixing bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Add the flour and toss until evenly combined. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add half of the beef and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. Transfer the beef to a clean plate. Repeat the process with an additional 1 tablespoon oil and the remaining beef, then transfer the beef to a clean plate.
Sauté the veggies. Add the remaining oil and onion to the stockpot. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add 6 cups of the beef stock, the cooked beef, thyme and bay leaf and stir to combine.
Simmer. Continue cooking until the broth reaches a low simmer. Reduce heat to low (or whatever temperature is needed to maintain a low simmer), cover, and simmer for 2.5 hours or until the beef shreds easily with a fork.
Shred the beef. Carefully transfer the beef to a clean plate and use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces. Remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
Cook the noodles. Add the remaining 2 cups of beef stock to the pot and increase heat to high. Once the stock begins to boil, add the egg noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente.
Season. Remove the pan from the heat and stir the shredded beef back in. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Serve. Serve immediately, garnished with a few extra twists of black pepper, and enjoy!
NOTES
Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Instructions: Use the “Sauté” function to brown the beef and sauté the veggies in the Instant Pot as described in steps 1 and 2 above. Once you have returned the beef stock and cooked beef to the pot, cover with a lid and seal. Pressure cook on high for 60 minutes, followed by a quick release. Continue on with steps 4 through 7 in the Instant Pot.
Crock-Pot (Slow Cooker) Instructions: Complete steps 1 and 2 as described above in a separate sauté pan, then transfer all of the ingredients (minus noodles) to a large Crock-Pot. (Or you can skip steps 1 and 2 and just dump everything into a Crock-Pot.) Cover and slow-cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours until the beef is tender and shreds easily with a fork. Continue on with steps 4 through 7 in the Crock-Pot.
