Hearty Beef Stroganoff - Plan to Eat

Season beef with pepper and salt, tossing to coat. Heat a large skillet on medium-high and brush with oil. Working in batches, cook beef, tossing to brown on all sides, and transfer to a 5-qt slow cooker. In the same pan, add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds more. Add onion mixture to slow cooker.Reduce heat to medium-low and add wine. Stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of broth with flour and whisk until no lumps remain. Add to skillet with remaining 1/2 cup broth and Worcestershire sauce and cook, stirring constantly until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Add sauce to slow cooker and top with mushrooms. Add bay leaves and star anise. (TIP: Make bay leaves and star anise easy to remove by wrapping them in a square of cheesecloth tied with kitchen string. When it’s time to remove them, just lift the cheesecloth out of the slow cooker.)Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, until beef is fork-tender. To serve, remove bay leaves and star anise and swirl sour cream into the sauce. Serve warm over broad noodles or brown rice.