Slow Cooker Beef Stew
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Everyone’s favorite cozy beef stew made in the crockpot! The meat is SO TENDER and the stew is rich, chunky + hearty!
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There is truly nothing more comforting than a hearty beef stew on a cold, cold night. And it’s even better when it’s been simmering low and slow in your crockpot for the last 7-8 hours.
Aside from searing your stew meat to give it that really nice caramelized flavor, this recipe requires zero babysitting (thank you, slow cooker!). All you need to prep is your crusty bread for dipping, a glass of red wine, and a side salad to round out your meal.
If you are short on time, there is a stovetop and an Instant Pot version also available.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound baby red potatoes, quartered
- 4 carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, optional
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Season beef with salt and pepper, to taste. Add beef to the skillet and cook until evenly browned, about 2-3 minutes.
- Place beef, potatoes, carrots, onion and garlic into a 6-qt slow cooker. Stir in beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire, thyme, rosemary, paprika, caraway seeds and bay leaves until well combined; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup stew broth. Stir in flour mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until thickened.*
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
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I find most beef stew boring and one note. I make it for my husband but don’t usually enjoy it myself. This one however has a complex flavor profile that is perfectly balanced. Thank you for a wonderful recipe that I will make again and again.
If you omit the garlic & onions, you can share it with your dog. I also added butternut squash, Granny Smith apples and a handful of pecans…excellent
Excellent hearty stew. Really enjoyed. Nice flavours
My husband, who was never a fan of beef stew but ate it w/o complaining, loves this recipe. Making it again today and I must admit that it’s now our favorite beef stew recipe! Thanks for sharing.
I have made this in the slow cooker a few times and it was always a hit. Very tasty! Then I got an Instant Pot and decided to port the recipe over. This was my first ever Instant Pot experience so I thought it would be a good first test.
All I can say, if you think this is good in a slow cooker, you will be thrilled how incredible it tastes cooked in the Instant Pot. Kinda sold me on it right there and then. Flavours are locked it! It beat my slow cooker hands down.
Sauteed the beef in the IP and then added everything. Cooked on high pressure for 35 minutes + 15npr. Amazing!
Absolutely amazing! Best flavor
Tastes good and went over fine with the family but it’s way too thick. Alter recipe with less flour or more broth.
New favorite stew recipe!!!! Really yummy and simple crockpot stew! I can never seem to get my childhood favorite stew recipe right but this came pretty dang close! The only “negative” I have about this recipe ( isn’t even a big deal) is that the rue part of it was too thick but this was easily solved by just adding more stew broth for the right consistency. This is a great recipe for a beginner cook to make a stew that tastes like your mama made it 😉
Great beef stew! I substituted two tablespoons of corn starch mixed with 1/4 cup of water instead of flour to thicken the broth at the end and it was perfect.
Fresh herb bouquet gives this just that much extra punch. Plus, I used two cups of beef broth and one cup of good red wine. Deglazed the pan with half cup of red wine and added that in the slow cooker as well. Bit of cilantro chopped up with parsley at the end. Nice stew.
Followed this recipe to the letter (almost as I thought I had caraway seeds but did’nt!) and it turned out absolutely gorgeous. One of the best stews I have ever tasted, all the more so due the fact that this was first time I used my new slow cooker. An enthusiastic convert to slow cooking and will definitely be trying more of your recipes. Well done and thank you.
I usually refer to this or other web recipes when making beef stew, sometimes I don’t. You probably want to add some other herbs or more of what is recommended. I try to use fresh rosemarie when i can. You can tie the sprigs together with a string so it comes out at the end very easily. Last time i added one and a half dried star anise and holy moly my kids went back for third helpings rather than just the usual seconds. We love stew.
I tried swaying from the classic stew, and my family revolted. This is the classic stew, but with tons of flavor. I use Beef Chuck (never the stew meat packaged in stores). I cut out the extra fat, and always add more herbs than are called for. This stew was perfect. I cooked it in the crockpot on Low for 10 hours. I added the flour and cooked it for about 5 minutes, and it was PERFECT. For me, I would add button mushrooms, but my kids are not a fan. Also, garlic bread. So good!
All I have is sirloin tip steak. Can that work and if so does it change how this is prepared? Thank you!
Yes I’ve done it with sirloin. It does well,.
Really good and it was my first crock pot recipe, super easy to follow!! Love this recipe and I EXTRA LOVE that they put the calorie info. Super filling (and tasty) for the low calorie count. I will say you may want to put a smidge extra salt. Also it’s even better after the second reheat.
Looks great but messed up put the flower in from start didn’t reAd the last bit but hopefully be fine
Absolutely delicious stew. The aroma while it is cooking is awesome, too. Making for the second time right now.
December in Montana : beautiful snowy day 29 degrees. The perfect day for the perfect beef stew. Nearly done, taste tests complete. Fresh french bread baking in the oven. Treating myself to a nice merlot, waiting on the family.
Chocolate carmel brownies with natural vanilla ice cream for desert.
An evening to enjoy, and to all a great night.
Did the carrots and potatoes over cook being in the crock pot so long?
Real delicious. It’s worth trying it.
So simple and delicious. A full flavored stew that reveals layers of flavor… i did add to tablespoons of balsamic it brings out a simple, gentle sweetness to the stew.
Perfectbon a sub zero night