Hearty Slow Cooker Beef Stew: The Ultimate Comfort Food for Busy Weeknights
There’s something magical about walking through your front door after a long day and being greeted by the rich, savory aroma of beef stew that’s been simmering away while you were gone.
As a working parent with two hungry teenagers and a mountain of after-school activities to manage, my slow cooker has become my secret weapon for serving homemade meals without losing my sanity.
This slow-cooker beef stew recipe has saved dinner at our house more times than I can count. It’s become our Tuesday night tradition during the colder months – a day when everyone’s schedules seem particularly chaotic. The beauty of this dish is that you can prep everything the night before, refrigerate the crock insert overnight, and simply start cooking in the morning before rushing out the door.
Simply drop the stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces, in the pot, and add the mushrooms and vegetables.
Rounding the stew out is 3 Tablespoons tomato paste, 1 Tablespoon gluten-free Worcestershire sauce (I like Lea & Perrins,) and a bevy of spice cupboard staples including salt, pepper, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and a bay leaf. Add 32oz gluten-free beef broth, then cook it low for 6-8 hours (it depends on how small you cut your stew meat – mine took 6). Again, I did all this the night before I made it, then popped the crock pot into the base in the morning. Nothing too tricky, right?
Once the meat and vegetables are tender, whisk together 1/4 cup gluten-free or all-purpose flour (the dish will not be GF if using all-purpose flour) with a scoop of the cooking liquid, then stream it in and give the stew a big stir.
Cook on high for 30-45 more minutes, or until the stew is slightly thickened. Then stir in 1/2 cup frozen peas and let them warm through for about 5 minutes. Serve with a side salad or bread.
The Story Behind This Recipe
My grandmother used to make beef stew on the stovetop, carefully monitoring it for hours. While her stew was legendary in our family, I needed a more hands-off approach that would fit my busy lifestyle. After much experimentation, I’ve created this slow cooker version that honors her traditional flavors but works with modern life. My grandmother would have been skeptical of this “newfangled” method, but she would admit that the tender beef and rich broth rivaled her stovetop version!