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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Hi Chungah! I made this last night and our whole family loved it! I did add some red wine, since I think it always adds to beef broth-based dishes, and it was a very nice addition. Thanks for a recipe I’ll make again!
Hi, Im in the UK so struggling to find some ingredients in your receipt(s):
1. Can I use beef broth stock cubes instead of beef broth (’cause I cannot find beef broth at supermarkets here in the UK, neither chicken/veg. broth)?
2. Can I use sea salt or cooking salt instead of Kosher salt (same reason as above)
3. Is “Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce” the full name of the Worcestershire Sauce in your receipt?
4. If sometimes I cannot find stew meat, what other substitutes can you suggest?
Many thanks
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Yes, you can use bullion cubes and regular salt. I use less bullion than it would call for because it becomes too salty, but I make mine in a bigger quantity. I would only use “stew beef”, anything else will turn to mush. As far as the Worcester sauce, “Lee and Perrins” sounds like the brand name, so it wouldn’t matter. It would be like using the store brand instead of the name brand. Just as an FYI- this is very close to the recipe I have used for years, without tomato sauce or caraway seeds. I hope this was helpful for you. Good luck.
Yes. Yes yes to the first 3questions.the last one you have a butcher speak to him.a chuck roast or chuck steak.will work. How about a recipe for Jammie dodger cookies. A friend from the uk would live me to bake them
Two years after your question I’ve come across this recipe and have it going now. I’ve the same problem when I cook recipes from a UK site.
1. Yes certainly! The beef broth cubes, OXO or liquid concentrated beef broth. Just use the correct amount in any case to get the proper cups.
2. Yes you can.
3. It’s whats available in Canada. Perhaps the recipe poster can’t use brand names?
4. Any cubed beef will do. Even cuts considered not as tasty will benefit from a slow cooker
Hope this helps.
Eh, too tomato-ey, not so good. If I make this again (prob not) I will omit the tomato paste, beef stew gravy should taste like beef.
WAY too much spice for my taste. I even had an extra cup of water in there, and ended up taking 3/4 of the broth out when it was done and replacing it with straight up water and then it was pretty good. Still not my perfect beef stew flavor, and I would definitely suggest halving the spices at least. My husband agreed with me, and we are not ones to shy away from flavor. Just my opinion! The meat was perfectly cooked though 🙂
Mmmm this was so easy and delicious. I will be making more recipes from your site!
Hi, I love your recipes! I was wondering…is it mandatory to brown the stew beef? Can I just throw it all in and let it cook that way? Thanks!
Yes, I highly recommend NOT skipping that step! It makes a huge difference in taste – promise! But as always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Beautiful full flavoured stew.
I used 750g stewing beef and 200g venison. Tossed in seasoned flour before sealing and deglazed pan with red wine. For veg I added half a suede and a parsnip.
Cooked at 90C for 8h and then at 100C for final hour.
Heavenly!
I do not have stew meat. Would a chuck roast cooked whole work in this recipe?
Yes, absolutely.
Thanks for sharing. Made this yesterday and it turned out to be the best stew I have had. I added 1/2 can of dark ale which enriched the sauce. Looking forward to the leftovers for another delicious dinner tonight.
This is the best Beef Stew.. We love it… I am making it now again…
I made this for dinner after being unable to find my “usual” beef stew recipe. I couldn’t be happier with the result, I love your recipes. Thank you so much for sharing!!
Won’t the potatoes and carrots be too soft cooking 7-8 hours? I’m trying the recipe now and wanted to double check before adding them. In past similar recipes I’ve tried it seems that the veggies were falling apart if I add them with the meat. Looks and smells yummy so far! Can’t wait for dinner tonight!
You can always add the carrots and potatoes later on to suit your preferences.
I used whole fingerling potatoes (Trader Joe’s has then and they say “teeny tiny potatoes” – GET IN MY CART!) and didn’t cut them. They were soft, but held their shape.
I would stick with the recipe regarding potatoes. Chungah specified RED potatoes in the ingredient list. Red potatoes hold together quite well in long cooking. A starchy potato such as a Russet would disintegrate. If you have Yukon Gold spuds, you may wish to put them in later in the cooking.
As Chungah said, it is a matter of personal preference as to the doneness of the vegetables. I like my vegetables to be tender but still have some remaining texture in a stew with baby reds to be intact or larger potatoes cut to about the size of the meat cubes.
I was thinking about adding sweet potatoes. What do you think?
Yes!
This recipe is a new favorite in our household! So easy to make and it is so good! Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes 🙂
Wonderful recipe! Thanks so much for sharing!
Wow! My family loved this stew! The meat was so tender and delish and the potatoes and carrots were not mushy or overcooked. My new super easy fall favorite for sure!!
I always make soup on Halloween, this will be perfect! Threw it all in the crockpot this morning 🙂
What would you think about substituting a cup of red wine for one cup of beef broth? Just wondering because I’ve always made beef stew with a little red wine.
I love all of your recipes and I can’t wait to try this one! Making it to eat with the fam while we pass out candy on this cold Halloween day 😀
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
I used I can of beef consume with the remainder chicken broth. I added 3/4 cup of red wine at the beginning and then reduced 1 cup of red wine and added it at the end (got that tip from a beef burgundy recipe) Also added some sauteed baby bella mushrooms at the end. My husband said it was the best, most flavorful beef stew he has had.
by the way I did not add the caraway seeds
Soooo good! Made it tonight and my guy devoured it! I had to use Bloody Mary Mix that I had on hand because I didn’t have tomato paste or whorchesshire. Turned out awesome! Just used the fancy bloody may mix that comes in glass bottles at any big grocery store. Will be saving this recipe!
This was dinner tonight for my son and husband on the night every week that I know I will have no energy to cook. They both love beef stew and this filled the bill admirably. Thanks!
To make this gluten free, what would be the best thing to use in place of flour?
You can substitute gluten-free flour.
As a thickener, you could mix a little cornstarch and water (dissolve the cornstarch) and then add to the stew. I do the same when making gravy and thickening soups.