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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Made this today in a dutch oven in the oven.. WONDERFUl… Restaurant quality… SO GOOD….
I am not much into stews but I bought a side of beef and there are several packages of stew meat so I thought I would try it. It was absolutely wonderful.. My only complaing is that I did not have a home-made roll to go with it… I have already shared the recipe with friends…!!
Making this stew right now! I didn’t add the caraway seeds and didn’t have any tomato paste but some frozen tomato sauce. I cut the paprika to 3/4 teaspoon and it smells delicious. I can’t wait to try it. It’s a cold day on the East coast.
Can I use baby carrots or will they get too mushy?
Yes, I am a little concerned about “mushiness”!
Found this recipe a couple of days ago, making it tomorrow in my go chef. Live in the Mediterranean by weather us cold at moment so thux is prefect. All ingredients in house, roll on morning.
Cant wait to taste.
A suggestion about the vegetables. Don’t use frozen veggies. They end up too soft and mushy.
Made it several times and always comes out yummy!
Hi,
I live in Pennsylvania. What brands are good beef & chicken broth? I usually don’t use broth because it tastes fake and sometimes salty.
I prefer to use Pacific.
Made as is and it was delicious! Such a wonderful flavor and so simple to make. Thanks!
I made this for dinner last night night and it was delicious. My son was opening a bottle of hard cider and we poured in about 1/4 c of it into the stew. Because my husband likes to add rutabaga into soups and stews, I thought maybe next time I would grate in about 1/8 c. I feel a little goes a long way for a good flavor. The only herb I was missing was the rosemary. I will make this again as even my fussy eating like it.
Too much rosemary, too much thyme, way too much smoked paprika. I like my beef stew to taste like beef, and yes, I love hot spicy flavourful foods, but this is simply too much.
Charlotte, you can simply reduce the seasonings, to taste. Isn’t that the beauty of home cooking?
My husband and I both dislike the taste of rosemary. If I omit the dried rosemary will it alter the taste immensely? I’d like to try this recipe but hesitate because of this one ingredient.
Yes, you can omit and substitute another herb of your liking.
Thanks! Just put this in the crockpot and it looks wonderful.
Can anyone advise on what a serving size is? One cup? 1.25 cup?
About 1-2 cups.
Want to thank you for your delicious talent! I made the beef stew but actually put it together the ending before & simply cooked the next day while I was at work. My husband enjoyed it as we had it during a very stormy day.
Plenty of left over too. I’m planning to make the chicken soup next. Please keep up the great work!!
Thank you from a new fan.
I have this all ready to go, but just realized I don’t have any thyme 🙁
Can I substitute Herbs de Provence for the rosemary & thyme?
Yes!
Hi, I am actually make this stew right now. I was just wondering how much flour to use when mixing with the stew broth. Super excited to try the stew tonight.
1/4 cup all purpose flour.
This is the best Beef Stew.. We love it… I am making it now again…
This is the best Beef Stew.. We love it… I am making it now again…
By 1/2 cup of stew broth do you mean remove 1/2 from the slow cooker, mix with flour and then re-add?
Yes, that’s correct!
Can’t use Worcestershire sauce as gluten intolerant and all sauces in UK contain gluten. Can you recommend an alternative?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Worcestershire sauce contains lots of stuff including fermented anchovies.
I suggest that you substitute with Thai Kitchen™ Fish Sauce. It is my favorite and quite mild. It keeps and it can be used in many recipes and it is cheap.
Check your local grocery store. Alternately, you may add some anchovy paste or a small portion of one bottled anchovy.
I don’t know what is available in the U.K., but here is what we have:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Thai-Kitchen-Gluten-Free-Premium-Fish-Sauce-6-76-fl-oz/23602021
Is it best to just buy beef broth in a carton/can or make it one’s self?
It’s really up to you!
This looks absolutely amazing! Hubby and I are going to have this stew for dinner Wednesday and Thursday nights. I bet the leftovers are going to be just as delicious. I may flour the meat and put it directly into the crock pot without browning, though. Hopefully it will still be just as yummy.