Rich and hearty Slow Cooker Beef Stew packed with melt in your mouth beef chunks and veggies, and slow cooked to a crazy delicious and tender perfection. This is a recipe that you’ll go back to again and again.
MY FAVORITE WAY TO MAKE BEEF STEW IN THE SLOW COOKER
Slow Cooker Beef Stew is a hearty dish packed with slow cooked tender chunks of meat and veggies, making this meal a comforting option for the cold months ahead. Or, for this weekend! Making a hearty, yet low carb and healthy dinner has never been easier and more delicious than with this Beef Stew recipe.
While I really do LOVE my stove-top and quick to make Beer Beef Stew, I have to say that the slow cooker method is my favorite way to make this classic meal, minus the potatoes. Who wants those extra carbs, anyway?! ME: Raises both hands. 😬
Buuuut, let’s just keep it all healthier and lighter, whenever possible.
As I was saying… Slow cooking allows time for the beef to get to that much wanted melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, and also, it gives plenty of time for the veggie and beef flavors to meld and come together.
To add, this is an awesome make-ahead meal. Make a pot on Sunday and you’ve got lunch for the entire week!
OR! You can enjoy this slow cooker beef stew on a weekday by throwing everything in the slow cooker first thing in the morning and coming home to a ready-to-dig-in dinner.
Here’s how it’s done:
HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW
- First and foremost, you want to chop up all your vegetables and meat. To save on time, I almost always have the butcher cut up my meats. I suggest you do the same, if possible.
- After chopping up all the ingredients, this stew recipe starts off with browning the meat. You can totally just go ahead and skip that part, but I highly suggest you don’t. Browning the meat is just that extra step we need to make towards a more flavorful and tender beef stew.
- I also sauté the onions and garlic before adding them to the slow cooker – all the difference is in the flavor and texture – but again, that’s up to you.
- Once you’ve completed the steps above, all there is left to do is arrange everything in the slow cooker and prepare the liquid. You will use the same pan that you cooked the beef in and deglaze it with red wine. Then, you’ll whisk in the tomato paste and beef broth, bring it all to a simmer, and finally pour it into the slow cooker.
- Close with a lid and cook for 7 to 8 hours on LOW, or for about 5 hours on HIGH.
- To thicken the stew, you want to make a slurry with cornstarch (or flour) and water, and add that to the slow cooker about 20 minutes before it’s done cooking.
Tender beef and melt-in-your-mouth veggies in a rich gravy? This is my kind of meal! And, this could very well be the best and easiest slow cooker beef stew recipe you’ve ever made. Maybe? I mean, dinner practically cooks itself IF you skip all the sautéing and browning. But I suggest to give it that extra 12-ish minutes of prep time because it will be worth it in the end.
HOW TO PREPARE SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW THE NIGHT BEFORE
- If you want to start this beef stew in the morning, I recommend cutting up the beef, carrots, celery, onions and garlic the night before you want to cook it. Store all the veggies and meat separately, and keep in the fridge.
- In the morning, you can brown the beef, sauté the onions, and prepare the liquid, which should take around 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer everything to the slow cooker/crock pot, and this will cook all day while you’re gone.
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER BEEF STEW
- Completely cooled down leftovers should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To reheat a single serving, cover your bowl with a microwave-safe lid or a wet paper towel. Reheat the stew for 2 minutes on high, and then let stand for 1 minute before taking it out of the microwave.
- Larger batches can be reheated on the stove top over medium-low heat until it reaches a temperature of 165F. This could take up to 30 minutes.
FYI: According to the USDA, as long as you reheat any leftovers to at least 165F each time, the food is technically safe to eat.
HOW TO FREEZE BEEF STEW
If you want to freeze cooked stew, consider not adding the slurry/thickener because it will separate on thawing.
- To freeze uncooked beef stew, combine all the prepared (chopped) ingredients in a large freezer bag or an airtight container and place in the freezer.When ready to make, thaw all the ingredients and continue with the recipe. You can also just place all the thawed ingredients in the crock pot and cook for 7 to 8 hours on LOW.
- To freeze cooked beef stew, allow beef stew to cool down completely. Transfer beef stew to large freezer bags or airtight containers and place in the freezer for up to 2 months.
LOVE SLOW COOKER & CROCK POT RECIPES? YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO TRY
- Overnight Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole with Hashbrowns, Sausage, and Eggs
- Crock Pot Chicken Quinoa Enchiladas Casserole
- Crock Pot Mustard Pork Chops and Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast
- Crock Pot Beef Fajitas
- Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce Italiano
ENJOY!
Best Ever Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch pieces, fat trimmed off
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 celery ribs, sliced
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth, divided
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place cut up beef in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add beef and sear until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Depending on the size of your skillet, you might have to do this in batches, adding more olive oil if necessary.
- Transfer the browned beef to a 6-quart slow cooker; arrange prepared carrots, celery, and mushrooms over the meat inside the slow cooker and set aside.
- Heat the rest of the olive oil and sauté the onions for 3 minutes, or until softened.
- Stir in the minced garlic and continue to sauté for 30 seconds, or until fragrant; transfer to the slow cooker.
- Put the skillet back on the stove over medium-high heat and deglaze the pan with red wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get all the browned bits; cook for 1 minute.
- Whisk in the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce; cook for 30 seconds while whisking.
- Slowly whisk in 2 cups of beef broth; cook for 1 minute.
- Pour the prepared liquid over the beef and vegetables.
- Stir in the remaining broth into the slow cooker and add bay leaves and thyme over the veggies.
- Close with a lid and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. Times may vary depending on how hot your slow cooker runs.
- 30 minutes before the beef stew is done cooking, make a slurry by whisking together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water. Stir the slurry into the slow cooker, set to HIGH, and continue to cook for 30 minutes.
- When done, taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
- Completely cooled down leftovers should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To reheat a single serving, cover your bowl with a microwave-safe lid or a wet paper towel. Reheat the stew for 2 minutes on high, and then let stand for 1 minute before taking it out of the microwave.
- Larger batches can be reheated on the stove top over medium-low heat until it reaches a temperature of 165F. This could take up to 30 minutes.
- To freeze uncooked beef stew, combine all the prepared (chopped) ingredients in a large freezer bag or an airtight container and place in the freezer.When ready to make, thaw all the ingredients and continue with the recipe. You can also just place all the thawed ingredients in the crock pot and cook for 7 to 8 hours on LOW.
- To freeze cooked beef stew, allow beef stew to cool down completely. Transfer beef stew to large freezer bags or airtight containers and place in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
