Slow-Cooker Beef Stew
A hearty beef stew filled with chunks of lean beef and vegetables, slow-cooked in a rich gravy until deliciously tender!
Hello, friends!
The weather is finally feeling like fall around here and this girl couldn’t be happier. I find myself looking forward to the cooler days.
The cooler weather also means a slight change in our menu.
We tend to slow down a bit on the grilling and start using our oven more.
Fall is also the time of year when I love to bring out my slow cookers and fill them up with everything from soup to lasagna and even desserts! One of my favorites though, is definitely this hearty & healthy beef stew!
It’s packed with fresh veggies, lean chunks of beef, and a rich tomato-based gravy that warms you up inside and out! The perfect comfort food in my book!
what kind of beef is the best for stew?
For me, the most important ingredient in a YUMMY beef stew is…well, the beef! One might think that the best meat for stew would obviously be stew meat. And although it’s fine, if you talk to a good butcher you’ll find out that pre-cut stew meat is made from several different cuts of beef. Which means that some of them may be leaner. While others have lots of gristle. Worse, they all of different muscle tissue.
So what does that all mean? Well, it means that all these cuts of meat cook up differently. Some leaner pieces will be deliciously tender and juicy, and others will be so tough you can’t chew it! Which doesn’t exactly make for a yummy bowl of beef stew.
Never mind the fact that if you price stew meat it is often priced higher than other cuts of meat because…you guessed it they pre-cut it for you.
My choice? A good roast. I usually look for what’s on sale first, but I lean towards a chuck roast or even better, a sirloin tip roast! Depending on how big the roast is (usually 3-4 lbs.) I will cut it in half and use one half for stew and the other half for stir fry. (Or you cut it up and freeze it for another stew.)
what you’ll need:
- Roast (Chuck or Sirloin)
- flour
- olive oil
- butter
- salt/pepper
- tomato paste
- diced or stewed tomatoes
- beef broth
- carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and potatoes
- herbs
- frozen peas
equipment needed:
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how to make slow-cooker beef stew
I start by dredging my chunks of beef in flour and seasonings. Then I place them in the olive oil and butter and brown them. TIP: I like a nice brown crust on the outside of the beef. To get that, I brown the beef in small batches.
When the beef is done, I place them in my slow cooker and use the same pan to saute my onions and garlic.
Is this step necessary?
I really do think it’s worth taking the extra time to saute your onion and garlic, along with deglazing the pan by adding in the tomatoes paste and diced tomatoes. The flavor it adds to your stew is unbelievable! I guarantee it!
Once I deglaze the pan with the paste and tomatoes, I let them simmer for a bit while I cut up all of my veggies.
Then it’s time to place everything in the pot, including the beef broth, herbs, and remaining seasonings. And then you just turn it on low and let the slow cooker do all the work!
When the stew is done you’ll have mouthwatering tender bites of beef, potatoes, carrots, and celery, all covered in a rich, herb-infused, tomatoey gravy that has thickened perfectly while it slow-cooked.
how to serve beef stew
Around our home, there is no better way to serve this hearty beef stew than with a thick slice of homemade bread for dipping! That’s really all you need. It’s that filling!
Slow-Cooker Beef Stew
A hearty stew filled with chunks of lean beef, vegetables, and rich gravy.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless chuck or sirloin tip roast cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
- 4 cups beef broth
- 4 medium potatoes chopped
- 3 carrots chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
-
Place flour, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Mix until combined.
2. Add 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil and butter to a large saute pan.
3. Dredge beef chunks in the flour mixture and place them into the saute pan. (Works best to do this in batches). Brown on both sides. Remove and place each batch in the slow cooker.
4. When beef is completely done, add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add in the garlic. Saute for 30 seconds. Add diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Pour in one cup of the beef broth and deglaze the pan by scraping with a wooden spoon. Allow to simmer while you cut the remaining veggies.
5. Place chopped potatoes, celery, and carrots into the slow-cooker with the beef. Pour the contents of the saute pan. Add the remaining beef broth, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves into the slow-cooker.
6. Cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until vegetables are tender.
Recipe Notes
can you freeze beef stew?
Yes, absolutely! This recipe makes a pretty big batch so if you have leftovers it will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Since it’s just the two of us, I usually put the other half of the stew in a freezer container so we can have it another time. It will keep for up to six months.
I hope you enjoy today’s recipe for Slow-Cooker Beef Stew! And if you do make this recipe we’d love it if you share in the comments!
What are some of your favorite fall comfort foods to cook in your slow-cooker?
Looking for more beef comfort food recipes?
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Stew looks ideal with some warm bread , or rice , the beautiful color makes it even more tempting ! love, how you have used tomato paste , and broth for the flavor, I’m sure it tasted so good! Haven’t used slow cooker in a long time, this recipe will be perfect!
Oh my goodness, Aarthi! It was so good with that homemade bread! And yes, the tomato paste and broth add so much flavor! I hope you enjoy the recipe! Thank you!
Chilly weather here today, and beef stew sounds good. This looks great — thanks.
Soups and stew feel like such a fun way to celebrate the Fall and winter season, Christine. While I don’t eat beef myself several of my family members do and I would love to make this for them as a special treat. They’re going to be so excited! Hugs, CoCo
I totally agree, CoCo! I hope your family enjoys the stew as much as we do!
Thank you so much, John! It’s chilly here too today! Possible snow coming! 🙁
Looks so hearty and comforting. Absolutely perfect for this time of year!
Thank you so much, Rahul!
This looks delicious! And thank you for the tip on the best beef to use. I always have trouble trying to figure that out.
You are most welcome, Michelle! Thank you!