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Slow Cooker Beef Stew

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My easy slow cooker beef stew is packed with flavor but super simple to throw together! Tender chunks of beef are slow cooked in a rich, hearty broth with carrots, peas, and potatoes. This beef stew is the perfect chilly weather recipe for those busy weeknights.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
  • 2 pounds stew meat (chuck roast cut into 1-1.5″ cubes)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 cup sliced celery
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2 cups carrots chopped into 1″ pieces
  • 1.5 pounds baby yellow potatoes, cut into 1-1.5″ pieces
  • 3 cups beef stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • Kosher salt
  • fresh cracked pepper
  • fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saute pan or 5 quart braising pan over medium-high heat.
  2. Combine flour, garlic powder, celery salt, and a few large pinches of salt and pepper in a large shallow bowl. Dredge beef cubes in flour mixture.
  3. Add half the beef to the pan and sear it on all sides. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and sear the second batch of beef. Transfer to the slow cooker insert.
  4. Without wiping out the pan, add butter and melt over medium heat. Add onion and celery to the pan along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes.
  5. Add garlic, tomato paste, and dried thyme to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
  6. Deglaze the pan with the Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar, scraping all the yummy bits off the bottom of the pan.
  7. Add the onion mixture to the slow cooker along with the carrots, potatoes, beef stock, bay leaves, and a few large pinches of salt and pepper. Gently stir to combine.
  8. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8-10 hours.
  9. Combine 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water. Stir in the slurry along with the frozen peas and cook for 1 hour on high.
  10. You’ll know the stew is done when the potatoes are fork-tender and the stew meat falls apart easily.
  11. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!
  12. If you loved this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating and review below!

Equipment

Notes

    • Don’t skip the sear! It can be tempting to just toss everything in the slow cooker and let it go. But searing the meat and then sauteeing the veggies is really what’s going to make this stew super flavorful. That extra step doesn’t take too long and it adds so many layers of flavor. Don’t take a shortcut here – it’s worth the extra few minutes!

    • Serve this stew with fresh bread and butter. There is nothing better than homemade stew and fresh bread with a heavy schmear of butter. Add a pinch of flakey sea salt and start dipping!

Find it online: https://midwestfoodieblog.com/slow-cooker-beef-stew/