1. Prepare the Ingredients:

• Gather all your ingredients. If your beef stew meat is not already cut, cube it into roughly ¾-inch pieces.
• Trim any large, excessive pieces of fat from the beef cubes if desired.
• Tip: Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels. This can help the beef brown slightly on the outside as it cooks in the slow cooker, enhancing its flavor.
• Mince the garlic clove.

2. Combine Ingredients in the Slow Cooker:

• Place the prepared beef cubes into a 3-quart slow cooker.
• Add the 2 cups of salsa, 1 tablespoon of packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of reduced-sodium soy sauce, and the minced garlic.
• Stir gently with a spatula or large spoon to ensure the beef is evenly and thoroughly coated with the sauce mixture.

3. Slow Cook the Beef:

• Cover the slow cooker securely with its lid.
• Cook on the LOW setting for 8–10 hours, or until the beef is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork. (For a quicker option, you could likely cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours, but LOW is best for tenderizing tough cuts).
• Tip: Check the beef for tenderness at the 8-hour mark to avoid overcooking, which can make even tough cuts turn slightly mushy. A great internal temperature target for fall-apart tender chuck is 195–205°F (90-96°C).

4. Serve:

• Once the beef is perfectly tender, use a slotted spoon to serve the Tender Salsa Beef and its sauce over bowls of hot cooked brown rice.
• If desired, top with sliced jalapeno peppers or any of your other favorite taco or bowl toppings. Enjoy this simple and flavorful meal!