McCormick Slow Cooker Hearty Beef Stew Seasoning Mix, 1.5 oz Packet

The McCormick’s Slow Cookers Hearty Beef Stew Seasoning Mix is a good starter for those on the go. All the seasoning is in the packet to just add to your meat and vegetables, set your slow cooker and your done to go about your day. I do not have time to cook so am always looking for ways to make good meals easier and this one was the greatest yet.

For this beef stew seasoning mix, I followed the recipe on the back. I added carrots, stalks of celery, an onion, and potatoes. I put in 2 lbs. of beef stew meat that were cut into 1 in. chunks. The recipe called for 1 cup of water and to be honest in the beginning I didn't think it would be enough, but after four hours in the slow cooker on the high setting, there was plenty of liquid making me wish I had added more vegetables. Overall, the dish is very simple to make and the seasoning is a safe option for tasty but not overpowering.

I love my slow cooker; I use it on a regular basis, and often for beef stew. I am forever trying to come up with the right mix of seasonings, herbs, etc., to make it taste really rich and just have a good beefy flavor--I don't think I've ever used the same combination twice. It usually comes out good, but not always the way I want. This seasoning mix made it so easy--I left all my herbs and mixes in the cupboard and just mixed this in with the beef, veggies, and some water, and it came out very good. The gravy was slightly thickened, the beef and vegetables all cooked just right and the flavors blended, all I added was some crusty bread and dinner was ready. It isn't perfect...I think next time I'll use beef broth instead of water, but since I didn't have to try to decide how much sage, thyme, pepper, etc., it was well worth it. I usually throw in more veggies than the packet recommends--potatoes, celery, carrots, onion, mushrooms, sometimes rutabaga, parsnip, whatever. But it's good, it's easy, my family liked it and that's why I'll use it again.

I absolutely love these slow cooker seasoning mixes. I feel like since I've started using them, we eat out much less. It's really nice to come home from work and have a full meal waiting for us, with just a little bit of prep. I typically will peal and dice all my veggies the night before, put them into the slow cooker crock in water (to prevent them from being brown) and then put them into the fridge. In the morning, I pull it out, dump them into a strainer, add the meat layer in seasoning mix over the meat, then put in the veggies, and put the rest on top of the veggies. It's quite simple, just add water and cook... The taste is sort of hearty, a bit more beefy than just putting in a roast alone. Loved it!

McCormick spices have been part of our family dishes from as far back as I can remember. Both my mother and my wife ensured that I used McCormick spices, when appropriate. I’m sure my grandmother too, used their spices, as they began shipping them back in 1890. Well, I enjoy using our slow cooker, so McCormick Slow Cooker seasoning mixes are always a part of my recipes. I like most of their blends, though I wish they would leave out all Sodium from their mixes, and let us consumers decide how much we would like to add. This seasoning mix is easy to use and adds great flavor to your stew, without you having to guess on which spices to add. Another plus is that there is no MSG or artificial flavors. Just follow their simple recipe on the back of the package and you will have a great meal waiting for you and your family. Enjoy!