Slow Cooker Braised Beef over Creamy Polenta

Beef

1. Cut the beef into large, 2 - 21/2 inch pieces, and season generously with salt and pepper
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the beef, working in batches if necessary so you don't crowd the pan. Brown really well on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes total. Remove the browned beef to a plate and finish the rest - then set aside with the rest
3. Turn the heat down to medium, add the onion to the same pan and a little more oil if dry and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and letting it soften and pick up some color
4. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then put in the tomato paste,  stirring 1 to 2 minutes, until it darkens in color
5. Pour in the ½ cup of the beef stock, scraping the bottom of the pan really well to loosen all the browned bits
6. Add the remaining stock, Worcestershire, soy sauce, thyme and bay leaf. Stir and let it just come to a simmer
7. Now put everything into the slow cooker - the browned beef and any juices that have collected on the plate, as well as everything from the skillet
8. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours (it'll depend on how big your pieces of beef are, but start checking at 7 hours) until the beef is extremely tender and a fork slides into it with almost no resistance
9. Carefully remove the beef from the slow cooker and set it aside, cover loosely with foil
10. Pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan, bring it to a simmer and reduce until it's slightly thicker and more sauce-like. Depending on how much liquid the beef released, maybe 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
11. Turn off the heat, stir in the butter and gently return the beef to the sauce and coat it without breaking the pieces apart
12. Plate: first a few big spoonfuls of the soft polenta, some of the gorgeous chunks of beef on top, some of the delicious sauce over everything
13. Then maybe a drizzle of good olive oil and a little more Parmesan

Polenta - Start the polenta about 30 minutes before you want to serve everything

1. Put the stock and water in a pot, and add the polenta
2. Bring to a boil then immediately turn down to a simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently until tender, creamy and no longer gritty
3. Stir in the butter and Parmesan, then taste and season with the salt, likely 1/2 to 1 teaspoon then add pepper
4. You want the polenta loose - whisk in a little more stock or hot water if needed
5. Plate

Oven Instructions

1. Use a heavy bottomed pot with a lid or Dutch Oven
2. After browning the beef, cooking the onions and building the sauce - put everything into the pot, cover and put it in a 250°F oven for about 4 to 5 hours. Check around 3½ hours. It's done when the beef is super tender
3. Then just follow the above instructions from there