Beef Stew Slow Cooker Recipe

Close up of a white bowl filled with our red wine slow cooker beef stew with a spoon in the bowl, the crockpot in the background, and chunks of a baguette around it.

5 from 1 vote

A rich, hearty beef stew that simmers all day in the slow cooker. Searing the beef and deglazing with red wine builds a depth of flavor that is worth the extra ten minutes.

*LOW and slow is the ideal way to cook this. We provide a shorter option on HIGH, but we recommend using the longer time on the LOW setting for best results*

Prep Time15

Cook Time7 10

Total Time7 25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: Servings

Calories: 417kcal

Author: Meredith

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces (peeling is optional)
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2-4 Tablespoons neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
2 pounds beef stew meat, but into 1" cubes (if you can't find pre-cut, look for chuck roast)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon celery salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 Cup red wine (dry, medium bodied variety like cabernet sauvignon, pinot nior, or merlot)
¼ Cup all-purpose flour
3 Cups beef broth
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
¼ Cup cold water
2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

Chop the potatoes, carrots, and onion and place them into the basin of a large slow cooker.
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces, 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces, 1 medium yellow onion, diced
Heat up 1-2 Tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and then sear about half of the beef cubes, browning all sides, about 45 seconds per side. Do not overcrowd the pan. Transfer the first batch to to a bowl, set aside, and then sear the second batch, adding more oil if needed.
2-4 Tablespoons neutral oil, 2 pounds beef stew meat, but into 1" cubes
Return the first batch of beef and all of its juices back to the skillet.
Add the garlic and spices to the pan and cook until fragrant, another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
4 cloves garlic, minced, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon celery salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
Add a splash of the red wine, about 2 to 3 tablespoons, and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the skillet and loosen all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan (this adds a lot of flavor to the stew!)
Add the flour to the skillet and toss to coat the beef pieces.
¼ Cup all-purpose flour
Transfer everything from the skillet, including all the juices, to your slow cooker.
Add the remaining red wine, broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves into the slow cooker.
1 Cup red wine, 3 Cups beef broth, 3 Tablespoons tomato paste, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 bay leaves
Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours (or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours), until the vegetables are softened and the potatoes are fork tender.
Optional: for a thicker stew, stir together the cold water and cornstarch until no lumps remain to create a "cornstarch slurry" and stir it into the slow cooker. Cook until it has thickened up a bit, about 10 minutes.
*We always do this and highly recommend. But consistency is a personal preference.
¼ Cup cold water, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Notes

Storage: Let the stew cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. You can also freeze this recipe if desired, more details on how to do so are above in the blog post.

Variation Ideas:

Add celery. Two or three ribs can be chopped and added with the potatoes and carrots.
Stir in peas at the end. A cup of frozen peas added in the last 15 minutes adds color and a little sweetness.
Swap in different root vegetables. Parsnips, turnips, or sweet potatoes all work in place of some of the potatoes if you want to try something different.
Add mushrooms. Sliced cremini, portabella, or shitake mushrooms browned in the skillet after the beef bring another layer of savory flavor. Add them to the slow cooker along with everything else from the pan.
Skip the wine. Replace it with an equal amount of beef broth.
Add fresh herbs. A few sprigs of thyme or rosemary tucked in with the bay leaves is a nice addition. Pull them out before serving.
Need it to be gluten-free? Try sweet rice flour instead of all-purpose flour. I've used and liked Bob's Red Mill Sweet White Rice Flour in other recipes for thickening and it worked great!

Nutrition