Slow Cooker Beef Stew
User Reviews
3.8
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
10 hrs
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Total Time
10 hrs 20 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
451 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Description
This stew starts by coating stew beef with seasoned flour and browning it to develop a caramelized crust that enhances depth of flavor. The meat is then placed in a slow cooker along with diced potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and black pepper. The addition of beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce creates a rich base that melds over long, slow cooking times.
The slow cooker gently softens the vegetables and tenderizes the beef until it’s easy to shred or cut. The peas are added last to keep their brightness and slight snap. The stew offers hearty, savory flavors with a thickened broth, ideal for filling meals on cooler days.
For thicker stew, a cornstarch slurry can be added near the end of cooking. Deglazing the pan with red wine after browning meat adds complexity. Stew meat or chopped chuck roast are both suitable cuts, with chuck roast often preferred for quality.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds stew meat see notes
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 medium potato yellow
- 4 large carrot
- 1 medium sweet onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup peas frozen
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the beef to a medium bowl with the flour and seasoned salt. Stir to coat.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the coated beef and cook until browned, stirring as needed. There is no need to cook the beef through.
- Place meat in slow cooker.
- Peel and dice the potatoes, carrots, and onion. Mince the garlic. Add to the slow cooker with the bay leaf.
- Sprinkle the pepper on top and pour the broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce into the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours, until the beef and vegetables are tender. Every slow cooker is different and some run hotter than others so cook time does vary a bit, but stew is very forgiving.
- Remove the bay leaf, add the peas to the slow cooker, and stir well. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed before serving.
Notes
- Chuck roast or pre-cut stew meat both work; chuck roast generally offers better quality.
- For a thicker stew, mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and stir in near the end of cooking, then cook on high for 15 minutes before adding peas.
- Deglaze the skillet with dry red wine after browning beef to incorporate browned bits and deepen flavor before adding to the slow cooker.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 451 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 451kcal | 23% |
| Carbohydrates | 60g | 20% |
| Protein | 34g | 68% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 71mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 1441mg | 60% |
| Fiber | 8g | 32% |
| Sugar | 10g | 20% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
3.8
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