Dry the beef stew meat using paper towels. Dredge the beef in the flour and brown in a large skillet in one tablespoon of the olive oil. When browned, empty the meat into the slow cooker. Add the potatoes and toss with the beef. Sprinkle potatoes and beef with the thyme and season with salt and pepper.
Do not clean the skillet. There will probably be some brown bits in the pan and that’s good! Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and saute the slivered onions and sliced mushrooms until the begin to get tender. Add the garlic and saute for a minute longer. Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker.
Put the skillet back onto the stove and add the broth and coffee. Use a spatula to deglaze the pan getting all those yummy brown bits mixed into the broth mixture. Simmer for a few minutes just to get it all mixed together, then add the broth mixture to the slow cooker.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
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Notes
No need to make a pot of coffee (unless you want to!) for this recipe. Simply save a little from breakfast. You only need a small amount.
You can prep the night before by cutting the meat into cubes (if not using pre-cut beef stew meat), and slicing the onions and mushrooms.
You can even cut the potatoes ahead of time. Simply submerge them in clean water and keep them in the fridge to prevent browning.
Pair this stew with my pull apart dinner rolls and you have a satisfying meal for your family.