Whether you call it a slow cooker or a crockpot this easy recipe is full of tender chunks of beef and cooked to perfection vegetables! Even though the ingredients are very simple you'll love the savory flavors of this hearty meal. It even reheats perfectly the next day!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Very basic, easy beef stew recipe for a busy weeknight after a long day!
- Tender beef chunks in flavorful brown gravy for a mouth watering beefy flavor!
- Crockpot beef stew is a great recipe for those winter months!
- If you own a freeze dryer, this recipe freeze dries for long term food storage very well!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Butter - Either unsalted or salted is fine. You can substitute olive oil for the butter if you would like.
- Flour- Use all purpose flour. If you need this stew to be gluten free substituting potato starch for the flour is the best option for a thickener. I have tried corn starch and didn't love the result.
- Stew Meat - What kind of meat do you use for beef stew? The cut I use is beef stew meat. You could also cut a beef chuck roast up into 1 inch pieces.
- Potatoes - I use russet potatoes for this recipe as they hold up better and maintain their shape. You could also use red potatoes but I would avoid Yukon gold potatoes.
- Beef Broth - For best results make the beef broth from a beef base instead of a bouillon. Bouillon's are dried out and have weak flavor. Better Than Bouillon is a good brand and makes a rich broth. You could also use low sodium beef broth that is ready to use.
- Optional Seasonings - To vary the flavor you can add a few dash of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce to your beef stew. Many also like fresh thyme, rosemary, or bay leaves.
- For tips on how to use a slow cooker or crockpot see this Complete Slow Cooker Guide!
How to Make
- Get your 6 quart crockpot or slow cooker out and ready.
- Slice and chop up the onions, carrots and celery.
- It's also helpful to have the beef broth ready to use and the flour pre-measured and set to the side.
- Heat 2 Tbs. Butter to sizzling over medium high heat in a large frying pan or large skillet.
- Add the celery, carrots and onions. Sauté until onions start to look translucent.
- Dump in the slow cooker.
- Place frying pan back on the stove top over medium-high heat and add the raw beef stew meat.
- Brown the outsides of the beef cubes. This increases the depth of flavor!
- You don't need to make sure it's cooked all the way through because it will finish cooking as it simmers in the crock pot.
- Add flour to browned meat and mix to make a paste.
- Add 3 cups of the beef broth a little at a time to the meaty flour mixture while mixing well to make a gravy. Make sure to whisk in all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Simmer to thicken slightly.
- Dump into the crockpot over the vegetables.
- Peel, slice and dice the potatoes, I prefer smaller pieces and add them to the slow cooker.
- Pour in remaining broth.
- Some people like to add a bay leaf to their stew. If you would like to do that this is when you would add it.
- Put lid on and cook on high heat for 4-5 hours or on low heat for 8 hours.
- The gravy in this stew may seem too thin at first but it will thicken as it cools.
- Cool slightly and season with salt and black pepper to your liking.
- If you would like you could add a splash of Worcestershire sauce or fresh rosemary to this crock pot beef stew before serving as well.
Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips
Yes! Chill the stew all the way through in the fridge before transferring to an airtight container for the freezer and freezing.
Store this slow cooker stew in an airtight container in the fridge. It will be good for 3-4 days. Reheat it over medium heat on the stovetop or by the bowlful in the microwave.
No, I suppose you don't, however, browning the stew meat before adds flavor to your stew and holds the stew together. Also, in my recipe you juice the dripping the meat produces when browning to make the gravy the stew is cooked in.
Yes, you sure can. Overcooked beef stew has mushy, mushy vegetables and loss of flavor.
I have had many bland stews in my lifetime. If you follow my recipe you will have plenty of flavor. Flavor is why I lightly sauté' my veggies first. It pulls out the flavor but leaves it intact. I also brown the stew meat to add flavor. Then make the gravy from the meat drippings with a quality beef broth. You could add a couple bay leaves or some fresh rosemary if you would like though.
Check Out These Other Slow Cooker Recipes
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Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 Hours
- Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 quarts Beef Stew 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Crockpot
- Cuisine: American
Description
Whether you call it a slow cooker or a crockpot this easy recipe is full of flavorful beef chunks and cooked to perfection vegetables! Let this fix it and forget it meal cook all day so you can enjoy a relaxing dinner later!
Ingredients
- ½ cup chopped Onions
- 1 cup chopped Carrots
- ½ cup chopped Celery
- 2 Tbs . Butter
- 2 cups diced Potatoes
- 1 lb . Stew Meat
- 5 cups Beef Broth
- ¼ cup Flour
Instructions
- Get your 6 quart crockpot or slow cooker out and ready.
- Slice and chop up the onions, carrots and celery.
- It's also helpful to have the beef broth ready to use and the flour pre-measured and set to the side.
- Heat 2 Tbs. Butter to sizzling over medium high heat in a large frying pan or large skillet.
- Add the celery, carrots and onions. Sauté until onions start to look translucent.
- Dump in the slow cooker.
- Place frying pan back on the stove top over medium-high heat and add the raw beef stew meat.
- Brown the outsides of the stew meat. You don't need to make sure it's cooked all the way through because it will finish cooking as it simmers in the crock pot.
- Add flour to browned meat and mix to make a paste.
- Add 3 cups of the beef broth a little at a time to the meaty flour mixture while mixing well to make a gravy.
- Simmer to thicken slightly.
- Dump into the crockpot over the vegetables.
- Peel, slice and dice the potatoes, I prefer smaller pieces and add them to the slow cooker.
- Pour in remaining broth.
- Some people like to add a bay leaf to their stew. If you would like to do that this is when you would add it.
- Put lid on and cook on high heat for 4-5 hours or on low heat for 8 hours.
- The gravy in this stew may seem too thin at first but it will thicken as it cools.
- If you would like you could add a splash of Worcestershire sauce or fresh rosemary to this crock pot beef stew before serving.
Notes
- Butter - either unsalted or salted is fine. You can substitute olive oil for the butter if you would like.
- Flour- always all purpose flour. If you need this stew to be gluten free substituting potato starch for the flour is the best option for a thickener. I have tried corn starch and didn't love the result.
- Stew Meat - The cut I use is beef stew meat. You could also cut a beef chuck roast up into 1 inch pieces.
- Potatoes - I use russet potatoes for this recipe as they hold up better and maintain their shape. You could also use red potatoes but I would avoid Yukon gold potatoes.
- Beef Broth - For best results make the beef broth from a beef base instead of a bouillon. Bouillon's are dried out and have weak flavor. Better Than Bouillon is a good brand and makes a rich broth. You could also use low sodium beef broth that is ready to use.
- Nutritional Disclaimer
Keywords: slow cooker beef stew recipe, crock pot beef stew, easy stew recipe, traditional beef stew
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Comments suggesting substitutions of multiple ingredients or rewrites of the above recipe to promote different dietary preferences will not be published as they are not tested for accuracy and may inhibit the success of other readers. Thanks!
