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Kremlin-style beef in a slow cooker

Kremlin-Style Beef in a Slow Cooker

Very juicy, very soft, very tender — easy and simple! Kremlin-style beef in a slow cooker is a go-to method for cooking any cut of beef, and then some. It practically melts in your mouth, and with the butter, garlic, and onion it turns out incredibly fragrant too!

Anna

Recipe author

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Beef

500

Onion

Butter

Garlic

Vinegar

0.5

Salt

0.5

Sugar

0.5

Water

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 47 % 15 g

Fats 44 % 14 g

Carbohydrates 9 % 3 g

200 kcal

GI: 67 / 0 / 33

Cooking method

Step 1:

How do you make Kremlin-style beef in a slow cooker? Gather the ingredients on the list. You don't have to use beef — any meat works, and you can pick any cut, even the toughest. That's the whole trick to this recipe. I'm using a sinewy beef shank, and it still came out soft and juicy. Take the butter straight from the fridge — cold butter is easier to cut. Use warm bottled or filtered water.
Step 2:

Wash the meat under running water and pat it dry with a paper towel. With a sharp knife, cut it against the grain into large pieces. Rinse and peel the onion, then cut it into half-moons. Cut the cold butter into cubes. In the slow cooker bowl, layer the cut beef, then the sliced onion and butter cubes on top.
Step 3:

Pour the warm water into the slow cooker bowl. Set the bowl in the cooker and close the lid. Run the "Stew" setting for about 1 hour — use your own machine to gauge the exact time. Braise the meat without lifting the lid. Don't add much water; the meat gives off its own juices too.
Step 4:

Peel, rinse, and finely chop the garlic. After an hour of braising, open the lid and add the chopped garlic, salt, sugar, and vinegar. Stir it all in well. Run the "Stew" setting for another hour, braising without lifting the lid. Again: go by your own machine — your timing may differ from mine.
Step 5:

The finished meat is soft and shreds easily. Best of all, it's fragrant and juicy, tasting like a good canned stew or diner-style meat with gravy. Serve Kremlin-style beef hot. It's versatile and goes with any side — pasta, rice, potatoes, or vegetables. I had mine for dinner with mashed potatoes and we polished it all off! It's gentle enough that I'd even recommend it for kids.

Keep in mind the cooking time and setting in this recipe are only approximate. Every slow cooker runs differently, and even identical models from the same maker can have their quirks. Before you try a new dish in yours, read the manual carefully, then practice with dishes you already know before moving on to new ones, dialing in the setting and time to your own machine.
You can swap the beef for any other meat you prefer. Just keep in mind the cooking time, flavor, and calorie count will change. Pork and lamb are usually fattier than beef, while chicken breast and turkey are leaner. And the timing depends not only on the type of meat, but also on which cut you use and how old or young it is.
If you're using a ready-made spice blend, always check the label. These mixes often already contain salt, so factor that in or you risk over-salting the dish.