The Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew

missravenskitchen

Winter months call for beef stew! Perfect for warming you inside and out, the meat is SO TENDER and the stew is rich, chunky, and hearty. It's everyone's favorite stew! Serve with biscuits, mashed potatoes, or over rice (that's my favorite way!)

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 8 30

Total Time 8 35

Course Beef, Main Dishes, Slow Cooker, Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories 401 kcal

Ingredients

2 lb beef stew cubes or 2 lb chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes, discarding any large pieces of fat
2 tbsp olive oil
1-1 ½ lb baby red or Yukon gold potatoes quartered
4 medium carrots peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large yellow onion diced
3 garlic cloves minced
3 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 ½ tsp beef bouillon
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 ½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1 large or 2 medium sprigs of fresh rosemary
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
Salt & pepper to taste
¼ cup flour or 3 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

Season the beef with salt and pepper. In a skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil. Sear the beef in the skillet until evenly browned, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker, along with the fat.
Place the potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic in the slow cooker. Stir in the broth, beef bouillon, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, and salt & pepper to your preference of taste.
Cover with the slow cooker lid and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.
Once the stew is done, take 1/2 cup of the stew broth out of the slow cooker. Whisk in the flour until a thick mixture forms. Add it back to the slow cooker and stir to incorporate. Cook on high for an extra 30 minutes until slightly thickened.
Serve immediately over rice, mashed potatoes, biscuits on the side, or a light salad on the side.

Notes

Storage: This will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freeze: Let the stew cool completely. Portion into freezer-safe containers or Ziploc freezer bags for individual servings. Lay the bags flat in the freezer so they'll freeze faster.
Reheat: You can simmer this in a saucepot on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it's heated through. Reheat in the microwave, stopping in one-minute intervals to stir, until heated through.
From Frozen: Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a saucepan on low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, until heated through.

Can you place raw beef in the slow cooker? You can. If you don't have time to sear the meat, you can toss it in some flour and place it right into the slow cooker along with everything else.

Best type of red wine for beef stew? I used a mid-priced Cabernet Sauvignon for it. I wouldn't recommend using an extremely cheap wine, but something maybe in the $12-$15 range. Those wines are given a little more attention.

I don't want to use red wine: That's perfectly ok! An equal amount of beef broth or red grape juice along with 2 tbsp of red wine vinegar can be used instead of wine. Just watch the sugar content in the juice. The vinegar will cut through the sweetness, but it's recommended to be mindful of the sugar.

The best beef for beef stew? I recommend chuck roast. It has more connective tissue, which makes it more tender than other cuts. There are pre-cut beef stew cubes packaged up and ready to go in the grocery store meat section, so those are usually the ones to go with!

Best Potatoes for beef stew? Red potatoes or Yukon Gold work best in the slow cooker. These potatoes have less starch content and hold up better than russet potatoes, which will fall apart and break down as they slow cook.

Keyword Beef, Slow Cooker, Soup, Stew