Crock Pot Beef Stew

Making a stew doesn't get any easier than this crock-pot beef stew. No need for pre-cooking or sautéing, just add everything to the slow cooker and leave it alone for a few hours. The result is fork-tender meat with hearty, wholesome veggies in a thick gravy.

Table of Content

• About this beef stew
• Ingredients and substitutes
• Step by step instructions
• Frequently asked questions
• You may also like
• Printable Recipe
• Join the conversation

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It has been cold and rainy for over two weeks and we could honestly use some warm weather. We've been having soup, salad, and bread almost every weekday, and slow-cooked comfort food like this stew over the weekends. I love using the crock-pot this time of the year. So simple and easy

About this beef stew

This is a perfect dish when you need something with as little prep time as possible. It literally is adding all the ingredients in a slow cooker and set it to cook. I like to leave it on low heat overnight. And yet, you can certainly cook it on high for 4 hours to speed it up.

The list of ingredients looks like a lot but they are easy to find and many are simple pantry staples that are probably already in your kitchen.

This recipe has three components.

• Add dry ingredients to the crock-pot.
• Add liquid ingredients to the crock-pot.
  Combine the liquid ingredients in a bowl first - we do this to ensure they are all well combined.
• After slow cooking - add the thickener.
  We don't add this at the beginning of the recipe because the cornstarch can settle at the bottom of the crock-pot or slow-cooker. This will prevent even heating and possibly ruin the slow cooker.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Beef - I like to use a good chuck roast or chuck shoulder for my stew. But, you can easily find inexpensive cuts in the supermarket just for stew. Just ask your butcher.
• Carrots - Since we are going to cook this for a long time, it's best to keep the carrots large. That way, they won't disappear in the sauce.
• Potatoes - Use baking potatoes as these can endure the long slow cooking and still hold their shape. I like potatoes in stews because they soak up all the extra gravy and become so delicious.
• Herbs - I'm using classic thyme and rosemary, but a pinch of oregano works as well.
• Onions - If possible, use red Spanish onions. They cook down easily and taste sweeter. I like to saute my onions in a little oil because my kids don't like onions in the sauce. A little saute means the onions are still there but disappear in the sauce.
• Ginger and garlic - A little goes a long way and they really do make a huge difference. Ginger is very underused in our cooking but does wonderful things to meat.
• Red wine - You can certainly omit the red wine, and yet I think it adds a punch of flavor and color.
• Tomato paste - I highly recommend using less of it so it adds a subtle flavor and color. Unless you want a tomato-based stew, 1 tablespoon is plenty.
• Broth - Chicken, beef or veggies, whichever you have on hand works just fine. The beef broth will give you a stronger beefy flavor.
• Mustard - Is always a great flavor booster for beef or lamb. You can omit if you don't care much for it.

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Step by step instructions

• Add carrots, potatoes, beef, onion, garlic, ginger, herbs, and spices into the crockpot.
• In a bowl or measuring cup - combine broth, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, tomato paste, and mustard.
• Then, pour the liquid ingredients over the crockpot ingredients.

• Cover and cook on low-heat for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.
• Combine cornstarch and water in a bowl. Then, add it to the slow cooker.

• Continue to cook on high for another hour.
• Serve over steamed rice, couscous, or cauliflower rice.

Frequently asked questions

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Printable Recipe

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