Slow Cooker Barbecue Beer Beef Stew

3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1½-inch cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil

1½ cups chopped onion

1 cup barbecue sauce, homemade or store-bought

1 cup beef broth

¾ cup beer

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 cup ½-inch pieces peeled parsnips

1 cup ½-inch pieces peeled carrots

1 pound egg noodles

Season the beef evenly with salt, pepper and the garlic powder.

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Working in batches, brown the meat until it is browned, about 8 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the beef cubes in the pan. Set the meat aside.

Pour off all but 2 teaspoons of fat from the pan and add the onions. Sauté them for 3 minutes, until lightly browned, and add them to the slow cooker. In the slow cooker, mix together the barbecue sauce, beef broth, beer, honey and mustard. Add the parsnips, carrots and browned beef to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook on low for six to eight hours, until the meat is tender. When the stew is ready, prepare the egg noodles according to package directions. Serve the stew hot with noodles.

Serves 4 to 6

Nutrition information per serving: 596 calories; 112 calories from fat; 12 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 189 mg cholesterol; 761 mg sodium; 75 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 18 g sugar; 45 g protein.

Katie Workman