Tips From My Kitchen To Yours
- Meat matters: Look for well-marbled stew meat. The slow cooking process will render that fat into the most amazing flavor and tenderness.
- No peeking! Every time you lift the lid, you add about 20 minutes to the cooking time since all that valuable heat escapes.
- For extra flavor: Try browning the meat before adding it to the slow cooker. I rarely have time for this step, but it does add depth to the final dish.
- Make it your own: Feel free to add other root vegetables like parsnips or turnips – just make sure everything is cut to roughly the same size for even cooking.
Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew that Anyone Can Do!
Ingredients Â
- 1-1/2 lbs stew meat cut into bite-sized pieces (I sometimes ask the butcher to do this for me to save time)
- 1 lb white potatoes about 1 large potato, peeled then chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 8 oz whole mushrooms cut into quarters or sixths if large (cremini mushrooms add extra flavor if you can find them)
- 2 carrots chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced (or 1 tablespoon pre-minced garlic in a pinch)
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon gluten-free Worcestershire sauce I like Lea & Perrins
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 32 oz gluten-free beef broth
- ¼ cup gluten-free or all-purpose flour dish will not be GF if using all-purpose flour
- ½ cup frozen peas
InstructionsÂ
- Prep your ingredients: If you're a morning person, you can chop everything fresh. If you're like me and morning coordination isn't your thing, prep everything the night before. I add all ingredients from stew meat through beef broth directly into the removable crock pot insert, cover it, and refrigerate overnight.
- Start cooking: In the morning, place your crock pot insert into the slow cooker base, cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours. The cooking time depends on how large your meat chunks are – mine usually takes about 6 hours to reach that perfect melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.
- Thicken the stew: When you get home and the meat is tender, it's time to thicken things up. In a medium bowl, whisk together the ¼ cup flour with about ½ cup of the hot cooking liquid until smooth. Pour this mixture back into the crock pot and stir well to combine.
- Finish cooking: Turn the heat setting to high, cover, and cook for another 30-45 minutes, or until the broth has reached your desired thickness. Remember that the stew will continue to thicken as it cools, so don't panic if it seems a bit thin at first!
- Add the finishing touch: Stir in the ½ cup frozen peas and let them warm through for about 5 minutes. The heat from the stew will cook them perfectly while maintaining their bright green color.
- Serve and enjoy: Ladle into bowls and serve with your favorite sides!
Serving Suggestions
I typically serve this hearty stew with a simple green salad dressed with olive oil and lemon juice – the brightness cuts through the richness of the stew beautifully. A chunk of crusty bread for sopping up the gravy is non-negotiable in our house!
For a complete comfort food experience, try serving it with a side of buttery mashed potatoes instead of including the potatoes in the stew itself. My husband loves his stew ladled over the mashed potatoes, while I prefer to keep them separate – to each their own!
This stew also reheats beautifully, actually improving in flavor after a day in the refrigerator. I often make a double batch on Sunday to enjoy later in the week when our schedule gets particularly hectic.
Whether you’re feeding a hungry family or looking for meals you can prep ahead for yourself, this slow cooker beef stew delivers maximum comfort with minimum effort. And isn’t that precisely what we need more of in our lives?
With courtesy of IowaGirlEats special thanks to Kirstin, for pictures and recipe inspiration.