Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Made it? Rate this recipeChunks of beef chuck browned for flavor, then slow cooked with carrots, potatoes, onion, and herbs in a tomato and red wine broth until fork-tender, finished with a thick, glossy gravy.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Coat the Beef
Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels. Toss them in a large bowl with the flour, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. The flour helps the beef brown and later thickens the stew.
Chef's Tips
- ›Buy a whole chuck roast and cube it yourself. Pre-cut stew meat is often a mix of cuts that cook unevenly.
- ›Dry beef browns; wet beef steams.
Brown the Beef
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in 2 or 3 batches, about 2 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms. Do not crowd the pan. Transfer each batch to the slow cooker. The beef does not need to be cooked through at this stage.
Chef's Tips
- ›Crowding the skillet drops the temperature and the beef will turn grey instead of brown.
- ›Add a little more oil between batches if the pan looks dry.
Deglaze the Pan
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion to the same skillet and cook for 3 minutes, then stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in the red wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble for 1 minute, then pour everything into the slow cooker.
Chef's Tips
- ›The browned bits stuck to the pan carry a lot of flavor; scrape them all up.
- ›If skipping wine, deglaze with 1/2 cup of the beef broth.
Add the Vegetables and Cook
Add the carrots, potatoes, celery, bay leaves, and thyme to the slow cooker. Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and stir gently. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and the potatoes are soft. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking.
Chef's Tips
- ›Push the potatoes and carrots under the liquid so they cook evenly.
- ›Chuck is safe well before it is tender; the long cook is for texture, breaking down the connective tissue.
Thicken and Finish
Remove the bay leaves. If you want a thicker gravy, stir in the cornstarch slurry, switch to HIGH, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes until the liquid turns glossy and coats a spoon. Stir in the frozen peas for the last 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
Chef's Tips
- ›Mash a few potato chunks against the side of the pot for a naturally thicker stew.
- ›Peas added at the end stay bright green.
Serve
Ladle the stew into bowls, scatter with chopped parsley, and serve with thick slices of crusty bread for dipping into the gravy.
Chef's Tips
- ›Let the stew sit for 10 minutes before serving; the gravy thickens as it cools slightly.
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About This Recipe
What is this dish?
Beef stew is a slow-simmered dish of beef chunks, root vegetables, and a rich, thickened broth. Made in a slow cooker, the beef chuck has hours to turn tender while the carrots and potatoes soak up the flavor of the gravy.
Why you'll love it
After a short session of browning in the morning, dinner cooks itself. The result is a complete meal in one pot, with meat, vegetables, and gravy that only needs bread on the side.
When to serve
Serve it on cold evenings, busy weekdays, or Sunday dinners. It feeds a family and the leftovers taste even better the next day.
Quick tips
Use chuck, brown in batches, cut vegetables large, and keep the lid closed until the end.
Ingredient Highlights
Beef Chuck
Chuck is a well-marbled shoulder cut with plenty of connective tissue. Over a long, slow cook that tissue turns to gelatin, which makes the meat tender and gives the gravy body.
Tomato Paste
Cooking tomato paste briefly in the skillet deepens its flavor and adds a savory richness and color to the gravy.
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Yukon Golds are waxy enough to hold their shape over a long cook but creamy enough to thicken the stew slightly where they break down.
Substitution Options
Red wine can be replaced with extra beef broth. Yukon Gold potatoes can be swapped for red potatoes or chunks of sweet potato. Parsnips or turnips can replace some of the carrots. Fresh thyme sprigs can replace dried thyme. For a gluten-free version, skip the flour and thicken with cornstarch at the end, using gluten-free Worcestershire sauce.
Chef's Tips
Techniques that separate good from great
Do Not Skip the Browning
Browning the beef and deglazing the pan adds 15 minutes but builds a savory depth that a slow cooker cannot create on its own, because it never gets hot enough to brown food.
Finish with Acid
Stir in 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar just before serving. It brightens a stew that has been cooking for hours and can otherwise taste flat.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving · Estimated values
* Estimated per serving based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Equipment Needed
- Slow cooker (6-quart / 5.7 L)
- Large skillet
- Large mixing bowl
- Cutting board and knife
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
Kitchen tools for this recipe
The equipment this recipe is cooked with.
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Quick Tips
- Use beef chuck. Lean cuts like sirloin become dry and tough over a long cook.
- Cut the vegetables into large chunks so they hold their shape across 8 hours instead of turning to mush.
- Never put frozen beef in the slow cooker; thaw it completely in the refrigerator first.
Recipe Variations
Different ways to make this dish your own
Guinness Beef Stew
Replace the red wine and 1 cup of the broth with a 12 oz (355 ml) bottle of stout. Add a teaspoon of brown sugar to balance the bitterness.
Mushroom Beef Stew
Add 8 oz (225 g) of halved cremini mushrooms with the vegetables for an earthier stew.
Herb Dumplings
In the last 45 minutes on HIGH, drop spoonfuls of a simple biscuit dough on top of the stew, cover, and cook until the dumplings are cooked through and fluffy.
What to Serve With
Perfect pairings to complete the meal
Crusty Bread
A warm baguette or sourdough loaf for dipping into the gravy.
Simple Green Salad
A crisp salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the stew.
Over Mashed Potatoes
For an extra hearty meal, serve the stew over buttery mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
Storage & Reheating
Keep it fresh and plan ahead
Refrigerator
Cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer
Freeze for up to 3 months. Potatoes can turn slightly grainy after freezing; the stew is still good to eat.
Make-Ahead
Cube and flour the beef and chop the vegetables the night before. Store them separately in the refrigerator, then brown the beef in the morning.
Reheating
Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of broth if the gravy is too thick, until steaming hot throughout.
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