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Crock Pot Beef Stew

Crock Pot beef stew made with slow-cooked beef chuck and tender baby potatoes in a deep mahogany broth. Low-and-slow cooking yields fall-apart beef and hearty, chunky vegetables in a spoon-thick gravy.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and vegetables
  • 2.5 lb beef chuck Cut into 1.5-inch cubes.
  • 1 lb baby potatoes Halved.
  • 3 carrots Cut into thick rounds.
  • 3 celery Sliced.
  • 1 onion Diced.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
Broth and seasonings
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup red wine Or use extra broth.
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves Use 2 bay leaves for the stew; remove before thickening.
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp water For the cornstarch slurry.
  • 0.5 salt To taste; season beef and finish.
  • 0.5 pepper To taste; season beef and finish.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Season and layer in the slow cooker
  1. Season the beef chuck generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Place the potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion in the bottom of the slow cooker, then nestle the beef on top.
  3. Add the garlic, beef broth, red wine (or extra broth), diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves.
Slow cook until tender
  1. Cook on Low for 8-10 hours until the beef is fall-apart tender.
Thicken and finish
  1. Remove the bay leaves and discard them.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry, watching for the broth to start clouding slightly as it begins to thicken.
  3. Cook on High for 20-30 minutes until the broth thickens to a spoon-coating consistency.
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve hot.

Notes

Pro tip: cut all vegetables to similar chunk sizes so they cook evenly and the stew stays hearty. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days; freeze up to 3 months (best texture after thawing and reheating gently). For a lighter option, use low-sodium beef broth and reduce added salt to taste.