Description
Slow Cooker Beef Stew is the ultimate comfort food, perfect for chilly evenings and gatherings. This savory dish combines tender beef with a medley of vegetables and rich red wine, creating a hearty meal that warms both body and soul. The beauty of this stew lies in its ease—simply toss all the ingredients into your slow cooker and let it do the work. Ideal for family dinners or meal prep, this recipe guarantees flavorful leftovers that taste even better the next day.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ pounds stew meat
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3–6 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons cold butter (divided)
- 2 cups yellow onions (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup cabernet sauvignon (or merlot)
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 5 medium carrots (cut into 1-inch chunks)
- 1 lb baby Yukon gold potatoes (halved or quartered)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 cup cold water + 3 tablespoons corn starch (optional)
- 2–3 drops Gravy Master (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the beef into 1-inch cubes; season with black pepper, garlic salt, and celery salt.
- Sprinkle flour over the meat and toss to coat.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meat in batches.
- Transfer browned meat to the slow cooker.
- Reduce heat to medium; melt 1 tablespoon butter in the same skillet and sauté diced onions for about five minutes until softened.
- Add minced garlic and cook for one more minute, then deglaze with a splash of wine.
- Transfer onion-garlic mixture to the slow cooker with the browned beef.
- Add all remaining ingredients except for peas, corn starch mixture, and two tablespoons of cold butter.
- Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3.5-4 hours until vegetables are softened.
- Add frozen peas during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
- Remove bay leaves and rosemary stem before serving.
- If desired, combine cold water with corn starch and stir into stew to thicken before serving.
- Swirl in two tablespoons of cold butter for a velvety finish and optionally add Gravy Master.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Main
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (240g)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 85mg