This hearty and comforting slow cooker beef stew is perfect for cold fall or winter dinners. With tender meat, vegetables and a flavorful broth, its a delicious meal youll want to make again and again.
For this recipe, you will need carrots, potatoes, onion, celery, and diced beef. I like to use chuck roast, but any lean diced beef will work.
Additionally, you will need beef broth (or water + beef stock cubes), bay leaf, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. You will also need cornstarch (UK: cornflour), or any other thickening agent to make a thick and hearty stew.
The vegetables can be substituted and replaced with other veggies that you like, or you can add extra veg if you prefer. Peas and sliced mushrooms are commonly used in traditional beef stews.
Start by preparing your produce. Dice beef, carrots and potatoes into large chunks. Make sure that the vegetables are bigger than you normally would chop them, or they will cook too fast and go mushy.
Heat up a little oil in a skillet or frying pan on medium heat, and add diced beef. Cook until the surface of the beef chunks has browned on all sides, then transfer the beef to your slow cooker, including any liquid left in the pan.
Heat up another spoon of oil in the same skillet, and add your onion. Sauté for a few minuted until the onion is soft and translucent, then add the garlic. Sauté for another minute, then add the onion to the slow cooker.
Add the carrots, potatoes, dried parsley, dried thyme, beef stock, bay leaf and celery to the slow cooker. Stir to combine the ingredients. Cover with a lid, and slow cook for 4-6 hours on high, or 6-8 hours on low.
About 30-40 minutes before you want to serve the stew, its time to thicken up the broth. In a small jar, combine the cornstarch with the water. Stir until the mixture is completely smooth, then pour into the stew and stir. Cover with a lid, and leave the slow cooker on for another 30 minutes.
The broth should now have thickened up nicely. If you prefer a really thick stew, you can use an extra tablespoon of cornstarch.
Slow cooker beef stew is a filling dish, and does not strictly require a side dish. You can serve it as it is, steaming hot in a big bowl. However, if you prefer to pair it with a side, here are some excellent options to choose from:
Rice: Beef stew can be served over rice. This is a great way to bulk out the stew, and make it last for more servings. Serve it over plain white rice, or alternatively you can pair it with dill rice.
Mashed potatoes: As with rice, you can serve the stew over mashed potatoes. If you have a second slow cooker, you can even make slow cooker mashed potatoes.
How to thicken stew
This stew usually tastes much better when it is slightly thickened. There are many ways to thicken a stew, and although the recipe suggests using the cornstarch method, you can choose the version you prefer.
Allow the stew to finish cooking first, then thicken in shortly before serving. You can make a stew as thick or as thin as you like.
Cornstarch (UK: cornflour): In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with a few tablespoons of water. Stir to make a thin paste, called a cornstarch slurry, and add this back to the stew. Leave the slow cooker on for another 30-50 minutes, and you will find that the broth has a lovely, thick consistency.
Gravy granulates, or powdered sauces: Add a few spoonfuls of gravy granulates, or powdered sauce from a packet to the stew. These usually have a built-in thickening agent, and will also give some extra flavor to the stew.
Mash some potatoes: You can thicken this stew with no extra ingredients needed! You can simply mash up a few of the potatoes, and stir them into the stew. The liquid will seem a lot thicker. If you want to try this method, I suggest dicing about ¼ of the potatoes into small pieces before you add them to the slow cooker. This will make them dissolve naturally while the stew cooks.
Instant potato flakes: You can find these in most supermarkets as “instant mashed potatoes“. They are flakes of dried potatoes that you simply combine with hot water to make instant mashed potatoes. Drizzle a few spoons of the flakes into the stew, and stir to combine evenly. Thick stew in no time!
Make a roux: A roux is a traditional way to make many sauces, and can also be used to thicken stew. Combine equal amount of melted butter and flour in a small sauce pan, and gradually add liquid from the stew, or more beef broth. A thick sauce will form, which you can then add to the stew.
Few things are better than leftover stew. It seems that the longer you leave it, the more flavor it will develop, and the leftovers are usually better than the freshly cooked beef stew.
Storing: Store your leftover slow cooker beef stew in airtight containers in your refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you have a lot of leftovers, you can store it in portion sized containers for quick and easy meals in the days to come.
Freezing: If you want to store the dish for more than a few days, I recommend freezing it. Allow it to cool down completely first, then transfer it to freezer safe containers, and freeze for up to 1 year. Frozen stew should be thawed in a refrigerator overnight before you want to use it.
Reheating: Beef stew is definitely best served hot, and I recommend reheating it. If you want to reheat a small amount, you can simply microwave it for 1-3 minutes, or until its hot throughout. For larger amounts of stew, you can reheat it in a pot on the stove top.
Meal prep / freezer meals: Because slow cooker beef stew stores incredibly well, its an excellent choice if you want to prepare meals for later. I always make a big batch and freeze half of it. That way, I have homemade beef stew available in my freezer for busy days when I dont have time to cook.
Yes. Its usually recommended browning the outside of the beef first, but its perfectly safe to add raw beef directly to your slow cooker.
Always add less liquid to your stew than you think you need. The ingredients will create a lot of additional liquid while the stew cooks.
Yes. Its usually safe to leave the dish to cook for up to 10 hours. However, if the stew cooks for much longer than that, the vegetables will be mushy and flavorless.
This BEEF STEW recipe is a Lazy Cook’s Dream! Crockpot Beef Stew That Practically Makes Itself
FAQ
Can I put raw beef straight into a slow cooker?
Do you have to brown diced beef before slow cooking?
Why is my diced beef chewy in slow cooker?
How long does it take to cook raw meat in a slow cooker?
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Meat Cut
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Meat Weight
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Low Cook Time
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Pork Loin
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3-4 lbs
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6 hours
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Poultry**
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6 lbs
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7 ½ hours
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Beef Roast
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3-4 lbs
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8 hours
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Stew Meat
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3 lbs
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6 hours
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Can you cook ground beef in a slow cooker?
You can put raw ground beef directly in your slow cooker, just be sure to use a potato masher or a fork to break up the meat as it cooks. Chili is a great dish to make in a slow cooker because the flavors meld together wonderfully when cooked over a longer period.
How long do you cook meat in a slow cooker?
First, but most importantly, leave the meat in the slow cooker for long enough to cook thoroughly. This step ensures it’s hot enough to kill harmful bacteria in the meat. For instance, you’d want to give pork and beef a good 4 to 5 hours on High or 6 to 8 hours on Low heat setting. Chicken, on the other hand, cooks faster at 3 hours on Low heat.
Can you put raw meat in a slow cooker?
The good news is that you can indeed place raw meat into your slow cooker. It cuts down time preparing the meat, and you can still enjoy a delightful meal. However, here are a few reminders before throwing uncooked meat into the machine: Give It Time! First, but most importantly, leave the meat in the slow cooker for long enough to cook thoroughly.
How do you make a beef stew in a slow cooker?
A thick, chunky stew full of beef, potatoes and vegetables! Heat up oil in a large skillet (or if you have a slow cooker with a sauté option – turn it on high). In a bowl, mix together the stew meat with flour, salt and pepper. Once the oil is super hot, add in half of the beef and brown it on both sides.