There's something about beef stew that takes me straight back to my childhood. My mom would start this slow cooker beef stew on Sunday mornings, and by dinner time, our whole house smelled like pure comfort.
Now I'm making this exact recipe for Emily, and honestly? It's become our go-to meal when the weather turns cold. The beef gets so tender it practically falls apart, and those carrots and potatoes soak up all that rich, savory broth. I've tweaked Mom's original recipe just a bit over the years (don't tell her!), but the heart of it stays the same.
What makes this crock pot beef stew special is how hands-off it is. You brown the meat, toss everything in the slow cooker, and walk away for hours. No babysitting required. The red wine adds this depth that makes people think you slaved away all day, but we both know better, right?
If you're looking for more hearty comfort food, you'll want to check out my beef and tomato stew recipe too.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Beef Stew Recipe
- Ingredients For The Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- How To Make Mom's Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Storage And Reheating Tips
- Tips For The Best Beef Stew In Your Slow Cooker
- Frequently Asked Questions About Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Recipes You May Like
- Make This Beef Stew Recipe Today
- Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Why You Will Love This Beef Stew Recipe
- Hands-off cooking - After the initial browning, your slow cooker does all the work while you live your life
- Restaurant-quality taste - The red wine and herbs create these complex, rich flavors that taste way fancier than the effort required
- Tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef - Chuck roast breaks down beautifully over those hours of slow cooking
- Packed with vegetables - Carrots, potatoes, peas, and onions make this a complete meal in one pot
- Freezer-friendly - Double the batch and freeze half for those nights when cooking feels impossible
- Perfect for meal prep - Tastes even better the next day (seriously, the flavors get even better overnight)
Ingredients For The Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Here's what you'll need to make this easy beef stew recipe:
For the beef:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 pounds beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
For the liquid base:
- 1 ½ cups beef broth (I love using bone broth when I have it)
- 1 cup dry red wine (or substitute extra beef broth)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Lots of freshly ground black pepper
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
Vegetables:
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into chunks
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch diagonal slices
- 1 pound yukon gold potatoes, diced into ½-inch cubes
- 1 cup frozen peas
For thickening:
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
How To Make Mom's Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Brown The Beef
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season your beef chunks generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Working in batches (don't crowd the pan!), brown the beef pieces for about 5 minutes per batch. You want a nice golden crust on the outside.
- Transfer the browned beef to your 6 or 8-quart slow cooker as you finish each batch.
Build The Base
- Add the beef broth, red wine, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, and balsamic vinegar to the slow cooker with your browned beef.
- Sprinkle in the thyme, salt, and a generous amount of black pepper.
- Stir everything together until the tomato paste dissolves and combines with the liquids.
- Add the minced garlic, onion chunks, sliced carrots, and diced potatoes to the slow cooker.
- Give it one more good stir to make sure everything's coated in that ?beautiful liquid.
The Long, Slow Cook
- Cover your slow cooker and set it to LOW for 7-8 hours (or HIGH for 4-5 hours if you're in a rush).
I always choose the low setting when I can. The beef becomes ridiculously tender, and those flavors have time to really get to know each other. Worth the wait every single time!
Thicken It Up
- About 15 minutes before serving, remove 1 cup of the cooking liquid from the slow cooker and pour it into a medium bowl.
- Whisk the flour into this liquid until you don't see any lumps remaining. This is your thickening agent!
- Pour the flour mixture back into the slow cooker and stir it through the stew.
- Add the frozen peas (no need to thaw them first).
- Turn the heat to HIGH, remove the lid, and let it cook for 10-15 more minutes until the stew thickens to your liking.
If your beef stew gets too thick, just splash in a bit more broth. No stress!
Storage And Reheating Tips
In the refrigerator: Let your slow cooker beef stew cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. It'll keep beautifully for 3-4 days in the fridge. (Honestly, it tastes even better on day two when all those flavors have really melded together.)
Reheating: You can warm individual portions in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. Or heat the whole batch in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it's hot all the way through.
Freezing: This crock pot beef stew freezes like a dream! Let it cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags. Squeeze out as much air as possible and freeze for up to 3 months.
When you're ready to eat it, thaw the stew in the fridge overnight. Then reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave. You might need to add a splash of broth when reheating from frozen, as the stew can thicken up a bit.
Tips For The Best Beef Stew In Your Slow Cooker
Don't skip browning the beef. I know it's tempting to skip this step (I've been there on busy mornings), but that caramelized crust adds SO much flavor to the final stew. Trust me on this one.
Use beef chuck roast. I've tried making beef stew with leaner cuts, and it just doesn't work the same. Chuck has enough fat marbling to stay tender and juicy during that long cooking time. Lean beef will turn out dry and tough.
Cut your vegetables into similar sizes. This helps everything cook evenly. I learned this the hard way when I had mushy carrots and rock-hard potatoes in the same pot!
Want a thicker stew? Use the flour slurry method I described above. Want it even thicker? Make a double batch of the slurry. Want it thinner? Just add more broth at the end.
Skip the wine? No problem! Just use an extra cup of beef broth instead. The stew will still taste incredible, just with a slightly different depth.
Add fresh herbs at the end. If you have fresh thyme or parsley on hand, stir some in right before serving. It brightens up the whole dish.
Frequently Asked Questions About Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Yes! Simply substitute the red wine with an equal amount of beef broth for a delicious alcohol-free version.
While not absolutely required, browning the beef creates a flavorful crust and deeper taste. It's highly recommended for the best results.
Yes, cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours instead of LOW for 7-8 hours. However, the low and slow method yields the most tender beef.
Beef chuck is ideal because it becomes incredibly tender during slow cooking and has great marbling for flavor. Avoid lean cuts as they'll turn out tough.
Recipes You May Like
- Beef and Tomato Stew - Another hearty beef stew with a tomato-forward base that's perfect for cold nights
- Healthy Beef Stroganoff - If you love tender beef in a creamy sauce, you'll want to try this lighter version of a classic
- Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Dumplings - Another set-it-and-forget-it slow cooker recipe that's pure comfort food
Make This Beef Stew Recipe Today
This slow cooker beef stew has been feeding my family for years now, and I never get tired of it. There's something about that tender beef, those perfectly cooked vegetables, and that rich, savory broth that just hits different on a cold day.
The best part? It's so easy that you can start it in the morning and come home to dinner already made. No last-minute scrambling. No stress. Just good, home-cooked food that tastes like someone spent all day in the kitchen.
Make this recipe once, and I bet it'll become part of your regular rotation too. Serve it with some crusty bread for soaking up all that delicious broth, and you've got yourself a meal that'll warm you from the inside out.
Don't forget to save this recipe to Pinterest so you can find it when you need it!
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Equipment
- 6 or 8-quart slow cooker
- Medium Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 pounds beef chuck trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 inch pieces
- freshly ground salt and pepper
- 1 ½ cups beef broth or beef bone broth
- 1 cup dry red wine or sub extra beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper lots
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 large yellow onion cut into chunks
- 4 large carrots or 5 medium, peeled and cut into ½-inch diagonal slices
- 1 pound yukon gold potatoes diced into ½ inch cubes
- ¼ cup all purpose flour or sub all purpose gluten free flour
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet and place over medium high heat. Add beef, season with salt and pepper and brown in batches, so that you give the meat room for a nice sear. This should take about 5 minute per batch of meat. Transfer to large 6 or 8-quart slow cooker.
- Next add in beef broth, dry red wine, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, thyme and salt and pepper. Stir together with the beef until combined, then add in garlic, onion chunks, carrots and diced potatoes. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. I prefer to cook this slow and low so that the beef become really tender and the flavors have time to meld together.
- Next, remove 1 cup of beef broth from the slow cooker and transfer to a medium bowl. Whisk in ¼ cup flour until there aren't any lumps remaining. Add back to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Add in frozen peas and cook uncovered on HIGH for 10-15 more minutes until beef stew thickens up a bit. If it gets too thick to your liking, just add another splash of beef broth in. Serve immediately with toasted french bread, mashed potatoes, cornbread, crackers, or biscuits. Serves 6.
