Slow Cooker Beef Stew (Print version)
Tender beef and root vegetables simmered slowly in a savory broth for a comforting meal.
# What you need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
→ Vegetables
02 - 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 1 large onion, chopped
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup frozen peas
→ Liquids
08 - 4 cups beef broth
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
11 - 1 cup dry red wine (optional)
→ Spices & Seasonings
12 - 1 tsp dried thyme
13 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
14 - 2 bay leaves
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Thickening
16 - 2 tbsp cornstarch or gluten-free flour
17 - 2 tbsp water
→ Oils
18 - 2 tbsp olive oil
# Directions:
01 - Season beef cubes with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown beef cubes in batches, about 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer browned beef to the slow cooker.
03 - Add carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, and garlic to the slow cooker with the beef.
04 - Whisk beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and red wine (if using) in a bowl, then pour over beef and vegetables.
05 - Add dried thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves; stir gently to combine.
06 - Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until beef and vegetables are tender.
07 - Thirty minutes before serving, stir cornstarch or gluten-free flour into water to form a slurry. Add to the slow cooker along with frozen peas and cook uncovered for 30 minutes until thickened.
08 - Remove bay leaves, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed before serving.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- You get dinner ready with just 20 minutes of actual work, then walk away while the slow cooker does everything.
- The beef becomes so tender it doesn't need a sharp knife, and that moment when you taste it is always a small victory.
- This feeds six people generously and tastes even better the next day when you reheat it.
02 -
- Don't skip searing the beef in the skillet first—that brown crust is where all the deep flavor comes from, and simmering raw beef produces a thin, pale broth that tastes like you made it in a hurry.
- Remove the bay leaves before serving because biting into one is a small disaster that ruins the whole mouthful, and some people won't notice you forgot and will eat it anyway.
- Taste the stew before serving and add salt carefully, because the broth concentrates as it cooks and you might need less than you think.
03 -
- Buy your beef chuck from a butcher if you can and ask them to cut it into cubes for you, because pre-cut supermarket beef is often cut against the grain and becomes stringy rather than tender.
- Don't add salt aggressively at the beginning because the broth will reduce and concentrate; taste carefully near the end and add what you need then.