Brown Beef Stew in a skillet over medium-high heat in olive oil and butter. It is best to brown in two batches so that the skillet remains hot and quickly sears the meat.
Once it has browned on all sides, add to crock-pot.
In the same skillet, add onions, garlic, mushrooms, and all the spices except the bay leaves and saute for 3-4 minutes.
Add the sauteed veggies and the rest of the ingredients to the crock-pot except the Xanthan Gum.
Cook on high 6-7 hours or low for 10 hours.
Thirty minutes before serving, remove the lid, sprinkle Xanthan Gum on top, and stir.
Leave the lid off and allow Beef Stew to simmer and thicken for approx 30 minutes.