Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

I am obsessed with my slow cooker!

Here is another meal that I made using my new Breville Risotto Plus, which is a multi-tasker (steams, sauté's, slow cooker etc.) but any slow cooker will work just fine.

I had several bell peppers left over this week and I thought I better put them to good use.  Remembering my mom making Pepper Steak growing up I decided to re-create this for the slow cooker.  This technique allows you to use a tougher cut of meat that will be melt in your mouth tender once it's done!  I used a top round steak, which is perfect since it will hold it's shape in long strips and doesn't shred on you unless you cook it too long.

My version of Pepper Steak doesn't completely have an Asian flavor.  I don't recall my mom's being Asian in flavor, so I guess that why mine turned out a variation on the typical dish.  Mine included a little soy, but the big bang is the tomatoes and the seasoning sauce from Dales, or beef broth that you put in the dish.  Of course the end result is certainly about the peppers and the beef, and it's delicious!

Kitchen Note:  I don't really want soggy peppers in this dish so I put the peppers in the slow cooker about 2 hours prior to serving.  They were slightly tender, so if you want yours more on the crisp side put them in 1 hour before serving. 


**You can find Dale's (low sodium) Seasoning Sauce here.




Slow Cooker Pepper Steak


Serves:  4

Cooking time:  6 hours
Total time:  6.5 hours

1 lb top round steak, cut into strips
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 red onion, diced
1/4 cup water
3 Tablespoons Dale's Low Sodium Seasoning Sauce (or use beef stock)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 14oz can of stewed tomatoes, with the juice
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 orange bell pepper, cut into strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

In a skillet over high heat add steak and saute 2 minutes until browned on each side.  Add steak to the slow cooker.  Sprinkle garlic powder over the steak.  Add the diced onion.  In a small bowl add water and seasoning sauce plus the cornstarch and whisk to combine.  Add to the slow cooker.  Note:  you can use beef broth in place of the water and seasoning sauce, adding cornstarch to it.

Add the tomatoes and their juice, and the soy sauce to the slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low 6 hours.  2 hours prior to the end time add the bell pepper strips, recover and continue cooking.

Serve over rice, or even mashed potatoes.