Slow Cooker Beef Stew
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Freezer-friendly crockpot beef stew! The meat comes out so juicy and melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the stew is rich, chunky, and so hearty!
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Why you’ll love slow cooker beef stew
- Zero babysitting. Aside from searing the meat to give it that really nice caramelized flavor, the slow cooker does all the heavy lifting for you. All you really need to do is prep the crusty bread for sopping, pour a glass of red wine, and toss a simple side salad to round out the meal.
- Cozy comfort food. 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 the slow cooker for the last 7-8 hours, filling the house with the best cozy aroma.
- Leftovers taste even better. Similar to lasagna, beef stew tends to taste even better the next day, really letting the flavors meld and marry overnight.
- Freezes beautifully. Beef stew makes for an ideal freezer meal, lasting up to 2 months in the freezer, perfect for the cold winter months, parents with a new baby, or loved ones recovering from surgery.
How to make slow cooker beef stew
- Prep the beef. Pat the beef cubes completely dry using paper towels. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper.
- Sear the beef. Heat a splash of vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add the beef in a single layer, searing undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until a deep dark crust is formed on all sides.
- Combine the ingredients. Add the seared beef, potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire, thyme, rosemary, paprika, caraway seeds, bay leaves, salt, and pepper into a 6-qt slow cooker. Stir well to combine.
- Slow cook. Cover with a lid and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours until the meat and vegetables are fork-tender.
- Thicken. Mix together the flour and 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid into a smooth slurry. Then stir it into the stew and let it cook for an additional 30 minutes until thickened.
- Serve with crusty bread. Remove the bay leaves, then ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread for dipping, sopping, and dunking!
pro tip
Skip the pre-packaged stew meat.
Use well-marbled chuck roast, cut into uniform 1-inch chunks. Its high amount of marbling (fat) and collagen will break down during the long cook time, yielding tender, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth beef. Stew meat, on the other hand, is usually made with a random mix of leftover scraps that can turn dry or rubbery.
Storing, reheating, and freezing beef stew
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Reheat
Gently reheat on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water or stock, if needed. Stir occasionally until warmed through completely.
Freeze
Let cool completely; portion the stew into freezer bags in individual servings, squeezing out any excess air before sealing. Lay the bags flat in a single layer in the freezer (this will help them freeze quickly). Label, date, and freeze up to 3 months.
Reheat (from frozen)
To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and gently reheat over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Add a splash of water or stock, if needed.
what to serve with slow cooker beef stew
Tools For This Recipe
Slow Cooker Beef Stew: Frequently Asked Questions
Skip the pre-packaged stew meat as it contains a random mix of leftover scraps with uneven fat and muscle. Use boneless beef chuck roast instead, dicing into uniform chunks for consistent even cooking throughout.
For the best flavor, yes. This creates a rich, caramelized crust that will deepen the flavor of the stew. You can certainly skip this step if you are short on time though the stew may have a milder flavor.
Red potatoes and Yukon Golds can both hold their shape during long cooking times.
Stir in a flour slurry (flour mixed with water or cooking liquid) during the final 30 minutes of cooking.
No slow cooker, no problem! Try this stovetop version instead.
Yes! Recipe here.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Absolutely! Beef stew freezes exceptionally well (especially in individual servings), keeping in the freezer for at least 3 months.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes and patted dry
- 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 vegetable 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.
Equipment
Notes
- Avoid “stew meat”. Stew meat is often times a random mix of lean scraps that turn out dry and rubbery.
- Sear the meat. Browning the beef first is key here. That dark crust on the 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).
- 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.
- 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.
- Freeze in individual portions. This will allow for easy serving and thawing, perfect for a quick lunch or fast dinner. Always leave a little bit of space at the top of your container or freezer bag as the liquid will expand as it freezes, squeezing out the extra air to prevent freezer burn.
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Would it work to replace a cup of broth with red wine instead?
I have made this several times it is the most delicious beef stew I have ever eaten (hence the name). My son who is a picky eater absolutely loves it. It’s a great winter meal that warms you !!
Could you use v 8 juice instead of beef broth?
Looks great! I only have a 4qt though. Is there an alternative for that?
Amazing! I followed the recipe exactly and was surprised to find out that the veggies were not mushy. The flavour and consistency was excellent. This is my new go-to stew recipe.
Currently have this cooking in my slow cooker for second time this week.
Love it! Super easy to make and super flavoursome. Eaten by 2 fussy children as well, so that’s a win in my books!
I made a beef bone broth on the stove top for the first time – not sure it was worth it. It took 12 hours and the marrow scum is not very good – I strained it through cheesecloth before adding to my stew – the broth looked clear but turns out it was not – see below.
The stew tastes really good but because I made it in a slow cooker my broth did not thicken up very well. I coated the meat with flour before I browned it and added flour at the end. Would corn starch or a combination of flour and corn starch be better?
Even though I strained the broth through cheesecloth I still have marrow scum on the top of the broth. I know this because I removed all of the meat and veg and returned the broth to the stove in a sauce pan to reduce it. I am going to cool it down to remove the scum and any excess fat then recombine. What did I do wrong?
I am not the author but came here for the cooking time in a crockpot. In regards to thickening, you need to add more slurry to thicken, it can he made with flour or corn starch, it is important that the slurry is thick and that you make enough and put it in well before serving, because it may leave an unpleasant raw flour flavor. Regarding your broth, I am adding a link here that may resolve your problem.https://millersbiofarm.com/blog/do-you-have-to-skim-the-scum-when-making-yummy-healthy-broth
I’m a new mom and was so excited to have found time to throw stew in the crock pot. Only to realize I added the slurry at the beginning oops!!! I hope it’s okay!
Excellent base receipe. Added double of each seasoning except salt
Definitely will make again
I have tried several crock pot recipes for stew and this one, by far, is simply the best! The blend of flavors and seasonings is just perfect. This is the go-to recipe for a cold or rainy day stew!! Thank you!
This was delicious! Thank you.
Very yummy, thank you for the recipe.
I made this today and it is AMAZING. I used 2 cups of beef stock and a cup of Pepsi max (trying what Marisa said but didn’t have any coke) and I used sweet paprika instead of smoked. Holy balls. I made it for tomorrow night’s dinner but it may not last that long!! It’s SO good.
This recipe (with my adaptions) is definitely a keeper.
“holy Balls” thanks for the laugh
I love this recipe. It is my absolute favorite! I follow all the instructions, except that I use 2 cups of the beef broth and 1 cup of zero sugar coca cola. A big hit in my house.
This is hands down THE BEST beef stew my husband and I have ever had! I only cook the beef on the pan to get the very outer layer cooked and leave the rest raw. I also added 2 diced celery ribs and use whole wheat flour. You need to opt for the low for 8 hours option to really bring the flavor out, and the beef is so tender it melts in your mouth at the first bite. Absolutely fantastic flavor! This is in the recipe rotation now.
I’ve made this many times…..so good!
Whole family loved this! Delish.
I get my meat from the butcher in a plastic bag. I use this bag to add 2 tbsp of flour, salt and pepper as a shake-and-bake style to coat the beef before browning. Allows you to skip the thickening stage at the end. I also like to add mushrooms.
I’ve got this cooking in my slow cookers right now, the big slow cooker is one with meat, and the small slow cooker is a smaller vegetarian version for my 10yr old who is vegetarian by choice. I doubled the stock, tomato paste and herbs as we like more sauce and mushrooms as well. Didnt peel the veg, and added more potato and carrot to bulk it up. I didnt salt and pepper the meat before searing, as the stock has enough salt, i just ground some pepper in to taste. I may add some peas in towards the end too.
Cant wait to try it out
I would add step 2.5) after removing the beef, fry up the garlic and onions for a minute or 2, add the spices, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce and deglaze with the beef broth (red wine optional) for a few more minutes. Then dump it all into the slow cooker.
Yesssss, my thoughts exactly. I think her other stew recipe for the pressure cooker includes wine, so I was looking for it in this one lol.
Hello! I am so excited to try your recipe. However, I would like to add frozen sweet peas. Could you kindly tell me when I should put those in? Should I put them in with the rest of the fresh vegetables or wait 20 minutes before the stew is done its 8 hour cooking? Thank you in advance!
-Jacquelyn
peas are so delicate and only need to be heated, I would throw them in maybe at the last hour 🙂
I doubled up on the spices, added 4 tbsp of the worchester sauce, 4 tbsp of tomato paste and used gravy thickener in the end. Amazing flavour!!!