1-Preparing the beef: cut 2 ½ pounds of stew meat into 1-inch cubes, pat them dry, and trim any large fat pieces. Then, season the meat with 1 teaspoon garlic salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper before coating it with ¼ cup flour for a nice sear.

2-Searing the beef: heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the beef cubes in batches for about 45 seconds per side until they’re browned but not fully cooked. Add more oil as needed and set the beef aside once done.

3-Deglazing the skillet: In the same skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of cold butter, add ½ cup white wine or chicken broth, and deglaze the pan by scraping up the flavorful bits from the bottom.

4-Cooking the vegetables: add the diced yellow onion and sliced button mushrooms to the skillet; cook for 4 minutes, then stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Transfer everything to the slow cooker along with the seared beef and any juices. Combine 4 cups beef broth, 1 teaspoon beef bouillon, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, and 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard in the slow cooker.

5-Cooking in the slow cooker: Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or low for 8 to 9 hours until the beef is tender.

6-Finishing the sauce: About 30 minutes before serving, mix ¼ cup cornstarch with ¼ cup cold water to make a slurry and stir it in, then set to warm. Whisk 1 ½ cups sour cream with 1 cup of the slow cooker liquid until smooth and gently stir it back in. If you want extra thickness, add the 10.5-ounce condensed cream of mushroom soup.

7-Serving: Finally, turn off the heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter for a velvety finish, then serve over 1 pound cooked wide homestyle egg noodles.