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 winter night. And it’s even better when it’s been simmering low and slow in your crockpot for the last 7-8 hours. The tender potatoes and carrots soaking up all the lovely meaty flavors, and sopping up all the broth with any bread vessel you can find – this is what dreams are made of.
reasons to make slow cooker beef stew
- Slow cooker does all the heavy lifting. Aside from searing your stew meat to give it that really nice caramelized flavor, this crockpot recipe requires minimal hands on time and zero babysitting. 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.
- Leftovers taste even better. Similar to lasagna, beef stew tends to taste even better the next day, letting the flavors meld and intensify even more.
- Freezes beautifully. Beef stew makes for an ideal freezer meal, lasting up to 2 months in the freezer, perfect for the fall and winter months, a mom with a new baby or friends recovering from surgery.
tips and tricks for success
- Use good-quality stock. The better quality your stock, the better your stew. Many brands love to pack in the salt so always opt for unsalted or a lower-sodium variety.
- Sear the meat. Browning the beef first is key here. That dark crust on the stew meat cubes will create such richer, deeper flavors in your stew.
- Red potatoes hold up very well. Baby red potatoes hold up much better throughout the long cook time than russet potatoes, which tend to break down and fall apart. Yukon golds can also be used.
- Potatoes and carrots should be cut in larger pieces. We want our vegetables to be cut a little larger here as they will cook down quite a bit in the slow cooker (or else they will be overcooked, fall apart and turn to mush).
- Tomato paste adds so much flavor. Tomato paste is a key ingredient in beef stew, adding body and richness in small amounts without adding too much liquid to the stew. Opt for tomato paste in a tube, using up only what you need at a time without having to open up a whole can.
- Mix it up. Swap out the potatoes for sweet potatoes, add butternut squash, mushrooms, parsnips, or a little bit of crumbled bacon at the end of cooking time.
- Serve with crusty bread. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread for dipping, sopping and dunking!
pro tip
Use beef stew meat.
Stew meat is a tough cut of meat making it ideal for a slow cooker recipe as the long cook time will allow the connective tissue to break down, yielding tender, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth beef. Stew meat is also incredibly cost-effective, making this a budget-friendly dinner. Boneless beef chuck roast can also be used, cut into 1-inch cubes.
what to serve with slow cooker beef stew
Slow Cooker Beef Stew: Frequently Asked Questions
Boneless beef chuck roast is a great sub.
No slow cooker, no problem! We have a stovetop recipe for you here.
Yes, we have a recipe for that too.
Yes, beef stew freezes very well! Once cooled completely, you can freeze the leftovers in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
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
Equipment
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.
Video
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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Made your recipe while in Colorado and everyone loved it – now trying to print it and am not able to print.
My apologies. The website is undergoing a system update. The recipes will be available very soon! Thank you so much for your patience.
I have not used a slow cooker for this yet,l live in the U?K. And we have used a stock pot on a hob since gas and electicity came on tap,before that over a fire,but l never make gravy without sage,like my grama.
I just finished eating this wonderful stew and wanted to leave a review while it’s still fresh on my palate.
This was my first time with Beef Stew and my first with a Slow Cooker. This recipe is delicious!
We had to leave the house for a while because the smell was causing us to salivate like Pavlov’s dogs.
I followed the recipe pretty much exact. The only thing that I did different was to add celery and mushrooms.
I’ll be making this recipe again!
Is this a stand alone dish? Curious what would accompany the dish?
It’s meant to be a stand alone dish. I usually serve it with some fresh bread on the side.
Yummo!!!! This is delicious!! Kids loved it too , Thank You for sharing
Just wanted to leave a comment, if you want to try new recipes, but maybe aren’t a fan of stews, I can assure you this one is worth it. I’ve never cared much for stew, but after making this recipe, I am in love and it’s all I’ve been talking about to my family.
I personally used 3 lbs of stew meat, omitted the caraway seeds, and (accidentally!) used a tbsp of thyme/rosemary rather than a tsp. It was fragrant and so delicious!
I did not take out any broth to mix with the flour – I just dumped it right in. Some people are saying you don’t need a thickener – I highly disagree! If it’s not thickened, it’s not a stew!
Anyways, overall an amazing recipe. I plan to make it regularly!
Made this last night for dinner. The kids weren’t very into it (cooked carrots!) but the adults enjoyed it. I used a chuck roast which ended up very tender. For all the seasoning, it wasn’t too complex. Might be time for me to replace some of my dried herbs. There’s some leftover and I imagine it will be even better after a rest in the fridge. Good recipe.
I’ve made this stew recipe in my slow cooker a half dozen times, and I love it. A slight tweak in that I add 4 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 cup of flour. A bit thicker and a bit bolder. I use a mix of red and purple potatoes, about <2" diameter and quarter them. The smaller potatoes seem to be a bit more tender.
Lol there’s not even that many spices there’s more in chili? Anyway this sounds good! Probably going to add some parsley as well thanks!
That sounds good!
One of my top top recipes! I use it about once a month starting September and occasionally in the summer (since the oven does not need to be turned on!). I add a little Latin flavor and it gets gobbled up by the whole family (which includes a 3yo and 5yo). Love this one!!!!
5 Star recipe. Best gravy; tender meat and vegetables.
just now making it will let you know in seven hours
Any beef stew recipe fir 4 quart pot
David, you may have to reduce the recipe as needed to use a 4-qt slow cooker.
This came out pretty bland for me. Please add specific salt and pepper measurement for such a large batch.
Susan, it is best to add salt and pepper, to taste, as we all have different taste preferences.
It was very good I enjoyed it so did my cat as I was cooking it I added red wine then drink the rest of it got a little tipsy accidentally knock the pot over The cat happen to be there spelt all over her she’s all right it was just warm but the second time I made it it was delicious hard to get the smell out of the cat thank you
This recipe was amazing, simple, easy and the most delicious beef stew I have ever had! 🙂
I made this and it’s terrific but I think my crock pot gets too hot because the stew meat doesn’t hold together, it really breaks apart easily.
Best beef stew recipe! Loved it. No special ingredients, most of what’s needed I have on hand. Only issue that it doesn’t freeze well because of the potatoes.
What kind of flavor do caraway seeds add to stew. That’s a spice I’m not familiar with. Asking cause recipe says optional. Love all your recipes and love your nail designs in the pictures. YOU ROCK!
You are too sweet, Joanna! Caraway seeds are super aromatic and have a distinctive earthy anise flavor. Hope that helps!
Add 2 tbs of red wine and 2 tbs of A-1 for some extra deliciousness!
Great!
Hey everyone.
Don’t judge but…if I promise to sear the meat before cooking, is it ok if I don’t chop it up?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.