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CrockPot Beef Stew is one of my all-time favorite slow cooker meals. It’s filling and delicious with tender chunks of beef, carrots, potatoes and peas (or green beans). When it comes to satisfying comfort food, slow cooker Beef Stew is the ultimate!
To complete the meal, all you really need to do is add in a side of easy buttermilk biscuits or corn bread muffins slathered with butter. Or, serve it with a substantial homemade bread for dipping in the gravy. Everyone will be in heaven!
Ingredients for Slow Cooker Stew
Ingredients for this beef stew CrockPot recipe are beef chuck or stew beef, root vegetables like potatoes, carrots and fresh and peas or beans.
The best meat to make beef stew is chuck steak! You’ll have to cut it into cubes yourself. Chuck is a tough, but full-flavored meat that comes from the shoulders and front end of the animal. It is perfect for Crock Pot Beef Stew or pot roast (a similar texture to pork shoulder which is used to make Crock Pot Pulled Pork). It retains its rich, beefy flavor and becomes succulent and fork-tender under the low and slow heat of a crock pot.
Flavorful Slow Cooker Beef Stew: What really makes a stew a stew is the savory herbs, thickened beef broth and seasonings. To give the dish even more complexity, consider making CrockPot beef stew with red wine. Substitute a cup of a hearty dry wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot for a cup of the beef broth and use it to deglaze the pan you used for browning the meat. You could add in some button mushrooms too.
How to Make Beef Stew in Crock Pot
While we love to make a classic stove top beef stew, this easy slow cooker recipe can be left cooking while you go about your day! Crock Pot beef stew comes together in just a few simple steps and the beef gets so tender.
- Toss the beef in the flour-garlic powder mixture to coat, and brown in olive oil in batches. Don’t crowd the pan. (You can skip this step but the browning adds great flavor to the stew).
- Sauté the onion in the same pan (use a of broth or red wine to help deglaze and add any brown bits to your crock pot).
- Add everything to the slow cooker (I use a 6qt crock pot) and cook until the beef is tender. Stir in peas before serving.
How Long to Cook Beef Stew in Crock Pot: Crock Pot beef stew is a set-it-and-forget-it kind of meal. Cook it on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 8-9 until the meat is tender. You can leave it on warm for an additional hour or so if needed.
To Thicken Beef Stew in the Crock Pot: I use a cornstarch slurry (equal parts cornstarch and water) and add it in at the end. Allow it to cook about 10 minutes after adding the slurry to get rid of any starchy flavor.
We serve beef stew with some crusty bread or homemade dinner rolls for the perfect meal!
Leftover CrockPot Beef Stew
Leftovers will keep about 3-4 days in the fridge.
Can you Freeze Beef Stew: You’ll also be happy to know CrockPot Beef Stew freezes really well, so make plenty for those quick-fix meal nights. Leave about an inch of headspace for expansion in plastic containers, and your stew will keep for four months in the freezer.
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Crock Pot Beef Stew
CrockPot Beef Stew is one of my all-time favorite one-pot meals. It’s filling, delicious, and the family always loves it!
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Combine flour, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of salt & ½ teaspoon of black pepper to taste. Toss the beef in the flour mixture.
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Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat in a large frying pan or skillet. Add the beef and brown in batches, about 2 minutes per side. Place the beef in the bottom of a 6qt slow cooker.
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Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the onion and cook until tender. Add the onion to the slow cooker.
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Add 1 cup of beef broth (or red wine per the recipe notes below) to the pan and scrape up any brown bits with a spatula.
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Add the broth to the slow cooker along with the remaining 3 cups of broth, potatoes, carrots, celery, vegetable juice, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.
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Cook on high 4-5 hours or on low 8-9 hours or until beef is tender.
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Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Stir into the stew a little bit at a time to thicken (you may not need all of the cornstarch mixture). Stir in peas.
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Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until thickened and heated through. Season with salt & pepper.
*Broth: 1 cup of red wine can be substituted for 1 cup of beef broth. If using red wine, add it to the pan after searing the beef to deglaze. Let it simmer in the pan for about 1 minute before adding it to the slow cooker.
Vegetables: If adding fresh green beans in place of peas, they will need about 45 minutes to cook. Thawed green peas just need to be heated through, they can be added during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Potatoes: Any type of potato can be used in this recipe. We find red, yellow, or baby potatoes hold their shape best. If using thin-skinned potatoes, peeling is optional. Russet or baking potatoes should be peeled.
Leftover stew can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze for up to 4 months and thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop.
Serving: 2cups | Calories: 360 | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 429mg | Potassium: 1121mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5779IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Main Course, Slow Cooker
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