Beef Stew Recipe Slow Cooker

Mom’s best ever slow cooker beef stew cooked to perfection with dry red wine, garlic, fresh herbs and tender potatoes and carrots. This easy beef stew recipe is just like the classic one you grew up with and makes a delicious, protein-packed dinner the whole family will love!

Can you believe that this slow cooker beef stew is the first beef recipe on Ambitious Kitchen?! Truth be told, we didn’t grow up eating a lot of beef. My mom preferred a plant forward diet, but of course, always made my brother and me plenty of comfort foods that included chicken and fish.

However, during the winter months, I remember her making a deliciously cozy, tender beef stew that was rich, savory and packed with nourishing carrots, potatoes and peas. On the side, she’d serve a honey cornbread that we’d use to soak up all of the savory broth.

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My mom’s best ever beef stew was one of my favorite comfort foods growing up and because I love to get a little nostalgic on you, I decided to make a slow cooker version for the blog.

And mmmmm hmmm hunny IT IS AMAZING. Perfect for Sunday night dinners, impressing your partner, serving with cornbread or a slice of toasted french bread and warming up during those cold winter nights. Trust me when I say: you need it!

Traditional beef stew is basically tender beef simmered in beef broth with potatoes, fresh herbs and a variety of veggies like carrots, celery & onion. We’re jazzing this beef stew recipe up with dry red wine and Worcestershire sauce for extra delicious flavor.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

This traditional Beef Stew is loaded with tender bites of juicy beef, golden potatoes, carrots, peas, red wine, onions, garlic, and a hearty beef broth. It’s the BEST Slow Cooker recipe for Fall and Winter.

Prep: 20min

Total: 260min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 507 kcal, Carbohydrate 35 g, Protein 49 g, Fat 18 g, Saturated Fat 7 g, Cholesterol 132 mg, Sodium 1035 mg, Fiber 5 g, Sugar 7 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ pounds stew meat (see notes)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3-6 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons cold butter (separated)
• 2 cups yellow onion (diced)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 cup high-quality cabernet sauvignon (merlot works as well. See notes.)
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 tsp better than bouillon (or 2 beef bouillon cubes)
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 5 medium carrots (cut into chunks, about 1-inch)
• 1 lb. baby Yukon gold potatoes (halved or quartered)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup Cold Water + 3 tablespoons Corn Starch (Optional)
• 2-3 drops Gravy Master ((Optional)- Adds an even richer darker color.)

Instruction:

1. Cut meat into 1-inch cubes, discard any large pieces of fat. Fat marbleized into the meat is fine!
2. Sprinkle beef with black pepper, garlic salt, and celery salt. Toss to coat. Sprinkle flour over the meat and toss again.
3. Heat 3 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat in batches, don’t overcrowd the pan. Brown on each side for 45 seconds. Add more oil if needed. Transfer to slow cooker.
4. Reduce heat to medium and melt 1 Tablespoon butter. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Use a silicone spatula to clean the bottom of the pan, removing any brown remnants. This will give the soup lots of good flavor. If necessary, add a splash of wine to help loosen it. Transfer the onions/garlic mixture to the slow cooker.
5. Add all remaining ingredients except for the peas, corn starch mixture, and 2 tablespoons of cold butter.
6. Cook on low for 7 ½ to 8 hours or high for 3½ to 4 hours, until the vegetables are softened and the potatoes are fork tender.
7. Add the peas during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Remove the bay leaves and rosemary stem.
8. Optional: To thicken, combine ¼ cup COLD water with 3 Tablespoons of cornstarch. Slowly add it to the stew, stirring to incorporate. It will continue to thicken upon standing.
9. Turn off the heat. Swirl in 2 tablespoons of cold butter for a smooth, velvety finish. This is a technique that chefs use called “Monter au Beurre”.Optional: Add 3 drops of Gravy Master (or Kitchen Bouquet) for an even darker color.

Mom’s Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Mom’s best ever slow cooker beef stew recipe cooked to perfection with dry red wine, plenty of garlic & herbs and tender carrots and potatoes. This easy beef stew recipe is just like the classic one you grew up with and makes a delicious, protein-packed dinner the whole family will love!

Prep: 20min

Total: 440min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1 serving (based on 6)

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 serving (based on 6), calories 410 kcal, Fat 14.5 g, Saturated Fat 4.8 g, Carbohydrate 22 g, Fiber 3.8 g, Sugar 5.1 g, Protein 39.6 g

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 pounds beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 inch pieces (about 2 1/2 pounds when done)
• Freshly ground salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth (or beef bone broth)
• 1 cup dry red wine (or sub extra beef broth)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Lots of freshly ground black pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into chunks
• 4 large carrots (or 5 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch diagonal slices
• 1 pound yukon gold potatoes, diced into ½ inch cubes
• ¼ cup all purpose flour (or sub all purpose gluten free flour)
• 1 cup frozen peas

Instruction:

1. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet and place over medium high heat. Add beef, season with salt and pepper and brown in batches, so that you give the meat room for a nice sear. This should take about 5 minute per batch of meat. Transfer to large 6 or 8-quart slow cooker.
2. Next add in beef broth, dry red wine, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, thyme and salt and pepper. Stir together with the beef until combined, then add in garlic, onion chunks, carrots and diced potatoes. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. I prefer to cook this slow and low so that the beef become really tender and the flavors have time to meld together.
3. Next, remove 1 cup of beef broth from the slow cooker and transfer to a medium bowl. Whisk in ¼ cup flour until there aren’t any lumps remaining. Add back to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Add in frozen peas and cook uncovered on HIGH for 10-15 more minutes until beef stew thickens up a bit. Serve immediately with toasted french bread, cornbread, crackers, or biscuits. Serves 6.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Everyone’s favorite cozy beef stew made in the crockpot! The meat is SO TENDER and the stew is rich, chunky + hearty!

Prep: 15min

Total: 530min

Yield: 8

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds stew meat (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• 1 pound baby red potatoes (quartered)
• 4 carrots (cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices)
• 1 onion (diced)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 3 cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instruction:

1. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.
2. Season beef with salt and pepper, to taste. Add beef to the skillet and cook until evenly browned, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Place beef, potatoes, carrots, onion and garlic into a 6-qt slow cooker. Stir in beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire, thyme, rosemary, paprika, caraway seeds and bay leaves until well combined; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup stew broth. Stir in flour mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until thickened.*
6. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Easy Crock Pot Beef Stew Recipe

FAQ

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