Description
Hearty slow cooker beef stew brings comfort and warmth to family dinners with tender meat and rich, savory flavors. Packed with robust vegetables and a deep, soul-satisfying broth, you’ll savor each spoonful of this classic one-pot meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Ingredients:
- 2 lbs (907 grams) beef stew meat, cubed
Vegetables:
- 4 medium carrots, sliced into chunks
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (150 grams) frozen peas
Seasonings and Liquids:
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) olive oil
- 3 cups (710 milliliters) beef broth
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Coat beef stew meat thoroughly with seasoned flour mixture, ensuring even coverage for a robust exterior.
- Sear meat in hot olive oil over medium-high heat, creating rich caramelized surfaces that enhance overall flavor complexity, approximately 3-4 minutes per batch.
- Transfer beautifully browned meat into slow cooker, creating an initial flavor foundation.
- Layer chopped vegetables – carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, and garlic – atop the meat, creating a colorful and textural base.
- Combine beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and rosemary in separate bowl, whisking until harmoniously blended.
- Pour aromatic liquid mixture over meat and vegetables, ensuring complete coverage, and nestle bay leaves into the mixture.
- Slow cook on low temperature (195°F) for 6-8 hours or high temperature (275°F) for 4-5 hours, allowing ingredients to tenderize and meld flavors.
- During final 30 minutes of cooking, incorporate frozen peas for a vibrant green accent and fresh texture.
- Discard bay leaves before serving to prevent potential bitter undertones.
- Present steaming stew alongside crusty artisan bread or creamy mashed potatoes for a quintessential comfort meal.
Notes
- Searing the beef before slow cooking caramelizes the meat’s surface, creating a rich, complex flavor profile that transforms an ordinary stew into a restaurant-quality dish.
- Coat beef pieces evenly in seasoned flour to help thicken the stew naturally and create a slightly crispy exterior when seared.
- Choose tough, marbled cuts like chuck roast for maximum tenderness and rich flavor during long, slow cooking.
- For gluten-free version, replace wheat flour with cornstarch or gluten-free flour blend, ensuring the same coating and thickening effect.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours (on Low) or 4 hours (on High)
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 295 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg