Beef and Tomato Packets in the Slow Cooker

Beef and Tomato Packets in the Slow Cooker. A Spring Picnic Favorite That’s Super Easy.

When warm weather finally shows up and everyone wants to spend time outside, this is the perfect meal to bring along. My aunt discovered this recipe years ago and now makes it for every outdoor party. You wrap everything up in foil, let your slow cooker do all the work, and when dinner time comes, you have tender beef and juicy tomatoes that taste amazing. With just four simple things and hardly any work to get it ready, it’s perfect for busy days when you still want yummy food.

What You Need (Feeds 4 People)

• 1 1/2 pounds of beef for stew (chopped into little cubes)
• 2 cups of small cherry tomatoes (the tiny round ones)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt (the crunchy kind), plus a little extra

Beef and Tomato Packets: Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Tear off 4 big pieces of aluminum foil. Each piece should be about as long as a ruler (12 to 14 inches). If your foil is thin, use two layers instead of one so it doesn’t rip.
2. Put your beef chunks in a bowl. Pour the olive oil over them and sprinkle the salt. Mix it all up with your hands or a spoon so every piece of beef gets coated with oil and salt.
3. Put the same amount of beef in the middle of each foil sheet. You should have four piles of beef, one on each piece of foil.
4. Put the cherry tomatoes on top of the beef. Spread them out so some tomatoes sit between the beef pieces. When they cook, they’ll pop and make a yummy sauce.
5. Now fold your foil to make sealed packets. Bring the long sides of the foil up to the middle and fold them over each other a few times. Then fold and press down the ends real tight so no juice leaks out. Each packet should be wrapped super tight.
6. Place all four packets in your slow cooker on the bottom, side by side. They can touch a little bit, but try to lay them flat.
7. Put the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. The beef should be super tender and the tomatoes should have popped and made a red sauce.
8. Turn off the cooker. Use tongs to pick up each packet and put it on a plate. Open it slowly and carefully, aiming away from your face, because hot steam will come out.
9. Sprinkle a tiny bit more salt on top of each open packet. You can eat it right out of the foil, or you can pour the beef and tomatoes onto rice, mashed potatoes, or bread.