Description
This easy slow cooker beef stew recipe is a comforting, hearty dish made with tender beef chuck, pearl onions, baby carrots, and potatoes, all simmered in a rich red wine and beef broth sauce with aromatic herbs. Perfect for an effortless and flavorful meal, it uses slow cooking to develop deep flavors and tender textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Seasoning
- 43 oz boneless beef chuck
- 1/2 Tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 Tbsp olive oil or another neutral cooking oil
- 0.74 oz all-purpose flour 1/4 cup OR gluten-free AP flour
Vegetables
- 12 oz pearl onions (aka baby onions) OR 2 medium onions
- 14.2 oz baby carrots OR 3 large carrots (cut into about 1.5-inch pieces)
- 16 oz baby potatoes OR red potatoes/yukon golds, cut into equal pieces
- 2 oz garlic 5 large cloves OR 1 head roasted garlic
Liquids and Sauces
- 2 oz tomato paste 2 Tbsp OR 6 Tbsp tomato sauce/passata
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups dry red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, etc.
- 4 cups beef broth or use enough stock cubes for 4 cups of water
Herbs and Finishing
- 2 bay leaves small
- 0.3 oz fresh rosemary 1 handful
- 1 tsp dry thyme or 3 tsp fresh
- 2 Tbsp butter added at the end to make it silky smooth (optional)
- parsley chopped, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Ingredients: Peel the garlic and onions and scrub the potatoes and carrots. If using larger vegetables, cut the carrots into 1 ½-inch batons, the potatoes into even-sized 1-inch pieces, and the onion into thick wedges. Chop the beef into 1-inch cubes, removing any excess fat.
- Par-Cook the Meat and Vegetables: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper and brown the cubes in a single layer for 1-2 minutes per side until a deep crust forms. Avoid overcrowding the pan. Remove beef and add onions and garlic, cooking over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with a splash of broth or red wine, scraping up brown bits. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 more minute. Toss beef in flour and return to pan, stirring until flour dissolves.
- Transfer Everything to the Slow Cooker: Add pan contents, beef broth, red wine, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and Worcestershire sauce to the slow cooker. Mix well and cover. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours, adding carrots and potatoes halfway through cooking, or cook on LOW for 7-8 hours, adding the vegetables midway. Do not add all vegetables at the beginning to avoid mushiness.
- Finish and Serve: Remove bay leaves and rosemary stems. Stir in cold butter for a silky texture if desired. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
- Storage Instructions: Cool the stew and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on stovetop over low heat or microwave in short increments, adding beef broth if needed. Freeze cooled stew in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months and thaw overnight before reheating.
Notes
- Brown the meat well to build deep, rich flavors.
- Deglaze the pan to capture all the flavorful browned bits.
- Avoid lifting the lid during slow cooking to prevent extending cooking time by 10-15 minutes each time.
- Do not overfill the crockpot; fill halfway to two-thirds for optimal cooking.
- Adjust seasoning at the end to taste—add more salt, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, lemon juice, or a pinch of sugar as desired.
- If the stew is greasy, skim the fat before serving or refrigerate and remove solidified fat from the top before reheating.
- Optional additions include dried mushrooms, other root vegetables, hearty greens, beans, caramelized onions, smoked paprika, and various herbs to customize flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
