BEST SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW RECIPE

4.88 from 75 votes

Beef Stew Crock Pot recipe made with tender chunks of beef, loads of vegetables and a simple mixture of broth and spices that yields the BEST slow cooker beef stew ever!

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time7 hrs

Total Time7 hrs 30 mins

Course: beef, Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef stew recipe, crock pot beef stew, slow cooker beef stew

Servings:

Calories: 345kcal

Author: Jessica & Nellie

Ingredients

2 lbs trimmed beef chuck cut into 1-2-inch cubes
¼ flour tossed with meat to coat (OPTIONAL: add 1/2 tsp seasoned meat tenderizer)
1 bay leaf
½ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried parsley
½ tsp allspice
2 tsp cornstarch
salt & pepper, to taste
4 tbsp olive oil
1 cup of red cooking wine
1 cup beef stock or canned beef broth
2 tsp minced garlic
5-10 red potatoes diced
1 medium onion chopped
2 cups sliced carrots about 3-4
2 cups sliced celery 3-4 stalks
1 can diced tomatoes drained {14.5 oz}
8 oz container of sliced mushrooms {optional}

Instructions

QUICK METHOD:

Turn crockpot on low. Toss all vegetables and meat in the crockpot. Combine spices {except bay leaf}, oil, cooking wine, beef broth and whisk lightly to combine. Pour over meat and vegetables. Add in bay leaf.
Give it stew a light stir, cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours, medium 7-8 hours, high 6-7 hours.
To thicken stew, about 30 minutes prior to serving, ladle out about 1/2 cup of liquid from the stew. Whisk in 2 tsp cornstarch and add it back to the stew, stirring gently to combine.

MORE DEVELOPED FLAVOR METHOD: takes 15-20 additional minutes

Put potatoes, tomatoes, carrots and celery in the crockpot. Have the beef broth and cooking wine measured out and ready.
Heat a frying pan up on high. Add in 2 TBSP oil. Add garlic. Once pan is hot, add beef. Sear beef for about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer beef out of pan after 5 minutes.
Do not wash the pan! The technical term here is deglazing- we're going to add liquid that will help loosen up and remove the flavorful meat remnants on the bottom of the pan. Return pan to hot stove top and add remaining 2 TBSP of oil. Once oil is hot, add in the onions. Wait about 3-4 minutes until the onions are beginning to be translucent and are sizzling. Add in cooking wine and beef broth. Once the liquid begins to boil, turn off the heat and pour entire mixture into the crockpot.
Add spices and seasonings, mushrooms and bay leaf. Stir lightly to combine.
Cook on low for 9-10 hours, medium 7-8 hours, high 6-7 hours.
About 30 minutes prior to serving, ladle out about 1/2 cup of liquid from the stew. Whisk in 2 tsp cornstarch and add it back to the stew, stirring gently to combine. This helps thicken it up! If you want it even thicker, you can repeat this process once, waiting about 15 minutes between to double check thickness.

Notes

This Easy Beef Stew Slow Cooker recipe is so perfect for weeknight family dinners, throw it in before you go to work and come home to a delicious home cooked meal!

Nutrition