Slow Cooker Beef Stew made as a cozy, dependable bowl with balanced seasoning and practical prep.
Slow-Simmered Beef Stew for Hands-Off Evenings
A simple slow-cooker stew that turns browned chuck and a few pantry staples into a glossy, deeply flavored bowl you can mostly forget about.
This is the kind of stew that answers the dinner question before you even get home: brown, fork-tender beef, potato chunks that hold their shape, and a broth thickened just enough to cling to every spoonful. The result is rich but balanced—tomato paste and Worcestershire bring umami, red wine and browned bits add depth, and a modest seasoning keeps the beef front and center rather than shouting for attention.
A couple of small steps up front make all the difference. Trim excess fat, pat the chuck dry, then season and lightly flour each piece; browning in batches builds the fond you’ll deglaze with wine. Sautéed onions, carrots and celery, a quick hit of garlic and tomato paste, then the wine, Worcestershire and beef broth are the flavor bridge between the skillet and slow cooker.
Left to slow-cook for about 8 hours, the chuck melts to tender ribbons while the vegetables soften and sweeten. Russet potatoes hold up without falling apart, and finishing with freshly ground black pepper (and tasting for that last half-teaspoon of salt) keeps the seasoning balanced rather than overdone.
This stew is forgiving: it improves after a day in the fridge, reheats beautifully, and freezes well in portions for future busy nights. Serve it with thick slices of crusty bread or over buttered noodles, and consider a sprinkle of parsley or a quick splash of vinegar at the end to brighten the deep broth.
Ingredients
How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Trim any large pieces of excess fat from the beef and cut into roughly 1-inch cubes; pat dry with paper towels and season evenly with 1 tsp kosher salt and the black pepper.
- Place the flour in a shallow bowl or plate and lightly toss the beef to coat; heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches, 2–3 minutes per side, then transfer browned pieces to the slow cooker.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the onion, carrots (halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces), and celery to the skillet; sauté 3–4 minutes until they begin to soften, then stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour the red wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth and bring to a simmer; taste and add the remaining 0.5 tsp kosher salt only if needed.
- Transfer the skillet mixture to the slow cooker over the beef, add the potatoes (peeled if desired and cut into 1–1.5 inch chunks), bay leaves, dried thyme, and brown sugar, and stir gently to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or on HIGH for 3.5–4 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, whisk the cornstarch and water together to make a smooth slurry, stir it into the slow cooker, and run the cooker on HIGH for an additional 15–20 minutes until the stew thickens; discard bay leaves.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed, stir in the chopped parsley, and serve hot with crusty bread or over mashed potatoes if desired.
Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Slow Cooker Beef Stew made as a cozy, dependable bowl with balanced seasoning and practical prep.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 8 hr
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
Instructions
- Trim any large pieces of excess fat from the beef and cut into roughly 1-inch cubes; pat dry with paper towels and season evenly with 1 tsp kosher salt and the black pepper.
- Place the flour in a shallow bowl or plate and lightly toss the beef to coat; heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches, 2–3 minutes per side, then transfer browned pieces to the slow cooker.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the onion, carrots (halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces), and celery to the skillet; sauté 3–4 minutes until they begin to soften, then stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour the red wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth and bring to a simmer; taste and add the remaining 0.5 tsp kosher salt only if needed.
- Transfer the skillet mixture to the slow cooker over the beef, add the potatoes (peeled if desired and cut into 1–1.5 inch chunks), bay leaves, dried thyme, and brown sugar, and stir gently to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or on HIGH for 3.5–4 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, whisk the cornstarch and water together to make a smooth slurry, stir it into the slow cooker, and run the cooker on HIGH for an additional 15–20 minutes until the stew thickens; discard bay leaves.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed, stir in the chopped parsley, and serve hot with crusty bread or over mashed potatoes if desired.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 41.6
- Saturated Fat
- 12.7
- Sodium
- 780
- Fiber
- 4.7
- Unsaturated Fat
- 22.2
- Protein
- 43.7
- Fat
- 34.8
- Cholesterol
- 136
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 655
- Sugar
- 5.4