Slow Cooker Beef Stew

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This slow cooker beef stew will warm you right up this fall and winter with it’s tender pieces of meat and veggies in rich brown gravy.

Add this slow cooker beef stew to your menu!   This is  a very basic, simple yet delicious beef stew that you’ll be making time and time again!  Trust me!  Slow cooked in a flavorful brown gravy, the beef is always tender and the vegetables never mushy.  This is an excellent make ahead meal!  

How to make slow cooker beef stew:

1. As with all my soup recipes, start by lightly sauteing the onions, carrots and celery in a small amount of butter or olive oil to half cook them and bring out the flavor. Then dump them into a 6 quart slow cooker or slow cooker.
2. Using the same pan you used for the vegetables, brown your stew meat of medium heat.  
3. Once the meat is browned, stir the flour into it.  
4. Add 3 cups of the beef broth a little at a time, stirring as you go so all the flour gets blended in smooth.  Once all the broth has been added, simmer for 5 minutes and then pour over the vegetables in the slow cooker.
5. Peel, slice and dice the potatoes and add them to the slow cooker.
6. Pour in the remaining broth, stir and cook on high for 4-5 hours.
7. NOTE: At first the gravy will seem like it is too thin, but don’t worry, it will thicken as it cools.

Answers to a few common questions:

Do you have to cook the meat before you put it in the slow cooker?

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.

Can you overcook beef stew?

Yes, you sure can.  Overcooked beef stew has mushy, mushy vegetables and loss of flavor.

What can I add to beef stew for 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 saute’ 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 and a quality beef broth.  Other than adding a bit of salt and pepper this beef stew should have all the flavor you need.

Need more slow cooker recipes?

If you’re slow cooker is your best friend during the fall and winter months then I’d like to recommend a few other make ahead slow cooker meals to you!  Are you a lasagna fanatic? Check out my Slow Cooker Lasagna recipe!  A super kid friendly option would be Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese.  And who said slow cooker are just for dinner?  This Slow Cooker Triple Berry Cobbler is the best served with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!  Mmmm…..

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Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Mindee
• 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

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Description

This slow cooker beef stew will warm you right up this fall and winter with it’s tender pieces of meat and veggies in rich brown gravy.

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup chopped Onions
• 1 Cup chopped Carrots
• 1/2 Cup chopped Celery
• 2 Tbs . Butter
• 2 Cups diced Potatoes
• 1 lb . Stew Meat
• 5 Cups Beef Broth
• 1/4 Cup Flour

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Instructions

1. Melt butter in a frying pan until it starts to sizzle. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pan. Sweat the vegetables for about 3 minutes. Onions and celery should be starting to turn translucent, but should not be cooked through. Remove vegetables from heat and dump them into a 2 quart slow cooker.
2. Using the same pan, brown the stew meat over medium high heat. Once browned, stir the flour into the meat. Add 3 cups of the beef broth a little at a time until all the flour is absorbed and the gravy is smooth. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into the slow cooker.
3. Stir the potatoes and remaining 2 cups of beef broth into the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours. At first the gravy with seem like it is too thin, but don’t worry, the gravy will thicken more as it cools.

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Keywords: beef stew, stew, crockpot, slow cooker

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