How to Make Beef Stew in Your Slow Cooker

This tender, hearty, and savory Slow Cooker Beef Stew recipe is so easy and extremely flavorful! Old-fashioned stew meat Crockpot recipes are perfect for chilly days whenever you want something comforting and filling with carrots, soft potatoes, and onions.

This easy homemade beef stew recipe is the best ever and is simmered with beef broth and made with filling and wholesome ingredients that create the perfect blend of comforting juicy flavors. The thick juices from this crockpot beef stew recipe make the beef and vegetables super tender and flavorful with rich notes that are hard to pass up.

Slow cooker stew recipes are super easy and great for whenever you want to dive into dinners that do not require a lot of work but come out just as tasty and delicious. Just place everything in the Crockpot and let it work its magic!

This family-friendly meal is something even the kids can enjoy a bowl of because it's just that good. Serve this recipe for special Sunday dinners or easy weeknight meals. This recipe has minimal steps and is great for whenever you want to keep things simple at home. Especially when it is cold outside!

Why You Should Make This Country Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker

• Easy: Slow cooker recipes are known for being so easy without a lot of extra work! If you're needing to make sure dinner is prepared by the time you get home from work or school, then throw everything in the Crockpot at the beginning of the day so it will be ready just in time for dinner.
• Filled with Savory Flavors: Rich and savory flavors from garlic, sautéed beef, fennel, onions, and seasoning are simmered with the broth and make this Crockpot stew so delicious. The beef absorbs all of the flavors and gets loaded with flavor!
• Healthy: Gluten-free and made with whole ingredients with additions of some carrots and potatoes, this recipe is a great option for whenever you are wanting something meaty but with some nutrients from fresh produce.
• Freezer-Friendly: Have a lot of leftovers left? Don't worry! Freeze a large batch of this soup to save for a day whenever you're just wanting to defrost and reheat. Great for meal planning!

Ingredients You Will Need for this Beef Stew made in the Slow Cooker

This is just a general list of the ingredients you need for this easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements.

• Oil– any oil of choice
• Beef– use stewing beef like chuck cut into cubes
• Seasoning– a variety of bay leaves, salt, pepper, and paprika
• Onion– yellow onions, but you can also use red or white onions
• Fennel– one fresh fennel bulb allows this beef stew to be super bright with fresh flavors, you can find fennel in the produce aisle at the grocery store and is like a cross between onions and celery
• Broth– I like to use beef broth because it is rich and savory and amplifies the beef flavors, feel free to use chicken or veggie broth.
• Carrots– medium whole carrots will need to be peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes, use any kind of variety of carrots in addition to baby or frozen carrots
• Potatoes– yukon gold potatoes are perfectly buttery and soft for this beef stew recipe, I like to use the golden potatoes, but feel free to use russett potatoes
• Garlic– freshly minced garlic gives this stew an extra punch of flavor, if you do not have fresh garlic, then use ground garlic powder
• Worcestershire Sauce– this ingredient is key in making sure this beef recie has plenty of flavor and depth, you can find this sauce in the seasoning and sauce aisles at grocery stores
• Tomato Paste– rich robust tomato paste tastes great with the carrots and potatoes and give this recipe some extra tasty notes
• Cornstarch– used as a gluten-free thickening agent, feel free use arrowroot powder
• Water– just a little bit of water is used to make a slurry with the cornstarch before pouring it into the slow cooker

How to Make This Slow Cooker Stew

• Heat the skillet: First, heat some oil in a large heavy-bottom skillet over medium high heat. Be sure to use an oil with a high smoke point.
• Cook the beef: Next, add half of the beef cubes and sprinkle with some paprika, salt, and pepper. Sear the meat until it is golden brown, about four to five minutes, and transfer to the Crockpot. Repeat with the rest of the meat.
• Sauté onion: Then, reduce the heat on the stovetop to medium low and add some more oil. Sauté the onion and fennel until softened, then transfer them to the slow cooker.
• Combine: Add the carrots, potatoes, garlic, broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and bay leaves to the slow cooker and cook on low for eight hours or high for four hours.
• Make the slurry: In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Make sure it is well mixed. Once the beef has cooked, add the cornstarch to the Crockpot.
• Cover and thicken: Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Recipe Notes, Tips, and Substitions

• Reheating: To reheat this recipe, simply place it in a microwaveable safe bowl and cook for a minute or two until fully heated. You can also reheat this stew on the stovetop in a saucepan.
• Protein: Instead of beef, feel free to use chicken breasts or thighs.
• Flavor: Sautéeing the beef, fennel, and onions allow the flavors to shine more than if they were just directly added to the Crockpot.
• Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
• Leftovers: Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To freeze, simply place the stew in a freezer-safe bag or container, label, and freeze for four months.
• Veggies: Want more veggies? Add your combination of vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, green beans, etc.

How to make this easy beef stew on your stovetop instead of the slow cooker

Heat pot or Dutch oven: First, add oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Be sure to use an oil with a high smoke point.

Cook the beef: Next, add all of the beef cubes and sprinkle with some paprika, salt, and pepper. Sear the meat until it is golden brown, about five to six minutes, and transfer to a plate and set aside

Sauté onion: Using the same pot, reduce the heat to medium-low and add some more oil. Sauté the onion and fennel until softened,

Add the veggies: Add the carrots, potatoes, garlic, broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and bay leaves to the pot. Add in the beef chunks. Cover and let it cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes

Make the slurry: In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Make sure it is well mixed. Once the beef has cooked, and the veggies are soft and done, add the cornstarch.

Let the stew thicken: Place the lid back on and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. If

it's not thick, you may leave it open and let it just simmer down.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you put raw beef in the slow cooker?

You absolutely can put raw beef in the slow cooker, but the flavors will not be as bold or flavorful! Browning the meat beforehand allows it to be extra rich and tender.

Can you overcook beef stew in a slow cooker?

Yes, if you overcook your beef stew, then your vegetables will become super mushy and the meat will not be as tender.

How do I thicken my slow cooker stew?

Cornstarch is used as a thickening agent and added towards the end of the recipe to make the sauce thick.

Is it better to slow cook on low or high?

It just depends on how much time you have! It will take longer for the stew to cook on a lower setting, but if you need the beef stew ready sooner, then cooking it on high will take less amount of time.

How long can you leave stew in a slow cooker?

The food will stay good in the slow cooker for two hours after cooking. After two hours, be sure to quickly refrigerate or freeze the leftovers.

More Slow Cooker Recipes

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Burger

Slow Cooker Beef Brisket

Crockpot Spinach Artichoke Dip

Chicken Stroganoff

Creamy Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

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• ▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil divded
• ▢ 2 ½ pounds beef cut into 1 ¼-inch cubes
• ▢ Kosher salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• ▢ 2 yellow onions medium; diced
• ▢ 1 fennel bulb diced
• ▢ 4 carrots peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes
• ▢ 1 pound gold potatoes baby Yukon gold; halved or quartered
• ▢ 4-6 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 4 cups beef broth
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch

• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy-bottom skillet over medium-high heat.

• Add half of the beef cubes and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika, salt and pepper.

• Cook, stirring occasionally until meat is seared golden brown, around 3-4 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker and repeat with the remaining meat.

• Reduce the heat to a medium-low, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and sauté the onion and fennel until soft, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to your slow cooker.

• Stir in the remaining ingredients except for cornstarch and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours.

• Combine the cornstarch with a bit of water to make the slurry.

• Once the time is up, add the cornstarch slurry and stir well to combine.

• Cover and cook on HIGH for 20 minutes to thicken up the sauce.

• Reheating: To reheat this recipe, simply place it in a microwaveable safe bowl and cook for a minute or two until fully heated. You can also reheat this stew on the stovetop in a saucepan.
• Protein: Instead of beef, feel free to use chicken breasts or thighs.
• Flavor: Sautéeing the beef, fennel, and onions allow the flavors to shine more than if they were just directly added to the Crockpot.
• Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
• Leftovers: Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To freeze, simply place the stew in a freezer-safe bag or container, label, and freeze for four months.
• Veggies: Want more veggies? Add your combination of vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, green beans, etc.

Calories: 681 kcal | Carbohydrates: 29 g | Protein: 38 g | Fat: 46 g | Saturated Fat: 16 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22 g | Trans Fat: 2 g | Cholesterol: 134 mg | Sodium: 876 mg | Potassium: 1421 mg | Fiber: 6 g | Sugar: 6 g | Vitamin A: 8086 IU | Vitamin C: 27 mg | Calcium: 111 mg | Iron: 6 mg

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Source: https://healthyfitnessmeals.com/slow-cooker-beef-stew/

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