Instructions

1. Spray a 6-8 quart slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Season the beef with the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the flour to a shallow plate and coat the beef in the flour, tapping off the excess.
3. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet. Sear the beef on both sides until browned and then place in the slow cooker. Don’t crowd the pan or the beef won’t sear properly, you can also use two large skillets to make this step go faster. Repeat with the remaining beef, adding more oil if needed.
4. Drain off any excess drippings from the skillet. Deglaze the skillet with the red wine, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce slightly and then pour into the slow cooker with the beef.
5. Pour in the beef broth, then add the powdered gravy, onion soup mix, bay leaf and stir.  Cover and set on low for 7-8 hours and on high for 4-5 hours. Stir the beef once or twice in between the cooking time so that the gravy doesn’t stick to the sides or bottom of your slow cooker.
6. Test a piece of beef to see if it’s fork tender. The gravy will thicken as it cools, so if you like a thicker gravy you can uncover the slow cooker and let it rest for 15 minutes.
7. Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles or creamy polenta.