Description
Hearty slow cooker beef stew with root vegetables brings comfort straight from grandma’s kitchen to your dinner table. Rich beef chunks nestled with tender carrots, parsnips, and potatoes promise a satisfying meal you’ll savor with pure pleasure.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 2.5 pounds (1.1 kilograms) beef chuck roast
Vegetables:
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 4 Yukon Gold or red potatoes, diced
- 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Liquids and Seasonings:
- 4 cups (0.95 liters) low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Prepare a cutting board and sharp knife to dice beef into uniform, bite-sized cubes for even cooking and consistent texture.
- Heat a heavy skillet to medium-high temperature, creating a golden-brown crust on beef cubes by searing each side for approximately 3-4 minutes to lock in rich flavors.
- Layer seared beef cubes into the slow cooker, creating a substantial base for the hearty stew.
- Add chopped root vegetables including carrots, potatoes, and onions to complement the meat’s robust profile.
- Incorporate minced garlic, aromatic thyme, and concentrated tomato paste to enhance the stew’s depth and complexity.
- Gently pour beef broth over the ingredients, ensuring they are mostly submerged but not completely drowning.
- Set slow cooker to low temperature for 7-8 hours or high temperature for 3-4 hours, allowing ingredients to tenderize and meld flavors seamlessly.
- Once cooking is complete, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to elevate the dish’s overall taste profile.
- Optional: Garnish with freshly chopped parsley for a bright, herbaceous finish that adds visual appeal and subtle freshness.
Notes
- Searing the beef before slow cooking creates a rich, caramelized flavor that adds depth to the stew’s overall taste profile.
- For a gluten-free version, replace regular flour with cornstarch or potato starch when thickening the sauce if needed.
- Cut vegetables into uniform sizes to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the stew.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days and often taste even better the next day as flavors continue to meld together.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours (or 8 hours)
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg