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Slow Cooker Beef Stew served in a white bowl next to a green print napkin

Slow Cooker Beef Stew


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.9 from 15 reviews

  • Author: Glenda Embree
  • Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 10-12 servings 1x

Description

Seared chunks of tender beef, baby potatoes & carrots in a rich, savory and herbaceous broth make Slow Cooker Beef Stew a comfort food classic.  It’s an economical and crazy delicious meal!  Serve it with a green salad and some homemade biscuits.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2.5 lb chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2″ cubes
  • 3 Tablespoons avocado oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 3 lbs. baby potatoes, halved
  • 1 lb. baby carrots
  • 2 red onions, minced
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • 2 cups V-8
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire
  • 2 Tablespoons beef base (like Better than Bouillon)
  • 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
  • 3 Tablespoons dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup COLD water

Instructions

  1. Cut your chuck roast into bite-size cubes. 
  2. Pat the meat cubes dry with a paper towel (moisture inhibits browning) before attempting to brown them. 
  3. Heat the oil to medium high in a skillet and brown the meat in batches, so you have plenty of room to allow moisture evaporation and achieve good browning. And, for maximum flavor, I’m talking about BROWNing, here. No grey or pale beef. You want deep brown color that shows caramelization has happened. It’s called the Maillard reaction. It’s the chemical reaction that happens between the amino acids and sugars in the meat when you heat them. And that reaction creates flavor.
  4. Place the browned meat into an 8 quart slow cooker (smaller won’t be big enough) along with the halved potatoes, baby carrots and minced onion. Stir the meat and veggies to evenly distribute them throughout the mixture.
  5. Add the Worcestershire, beef base and all the herbs.
  6. Now add the liquids. Pour the beef stock and V‑8 over the meat and vegetables, into the slow cooker. It will be VERY full.
  7. Put the lid on the slow cooker and set to low.
  8. Cook the beef stew on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the meat and vegetables are fork tender.
  9. Whisk the cornstarch and COLD water together in a measuring cup. The water must be very cold or the cornstarch will make lumps in your stew. Whisk until all the cornstarch has dissolved into the water.
  10. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the slow cooker, stirring until it is distributed evenly throughout the stew.
  11. Turn the slow cooker to high and allow the stew to continue cooking and thicken for about 15 minutes.
  12. Serve.
  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 6 hours
  • Category: Soup, Stew, Main Dish
  • Method: slow cooker
  • Cuisine: American