Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Posted Oct 12, 2022, Updated Feb 15, 2024
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The best beef stew recipe! This gourmet-quality slow cooker beef stew only takes 5 minutes to prepare and is loaded with tender beef, melt-in-your-mouth potatoes, carrots and celery. Learn how to make beef stew with our step-by-step photos & video!
This slow cooker beef stew recipe has become a staple in my house. I make sure to always have stew beef on hand in the freezer so we can make this beef stew whenever the craving strikes – which is often.
Every person in my family loves this beef stew recipe, from my husband all the way down to my 1 year old. The first time I served it my son, and the pickiest eater in our family, exclaimed “this should be put on the regular rotation” – which is a huge deal.
This slow cooker beef stew is easy to make with simple ingredients, just like this beef and barley soup. Simply toss everything in the crockpot – which takes 5 minutes – and let it cook all day long.
The results are nothing short of gourmet – flavorful, tender meat, melt-in-your-mouth potatoes, perfectly cooked vegetables all in a delicious sauce that will keep you coming back for more.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Beef Broth. In a pinch you can use chicken broth, but beef broth is definitely the best choice.
- Balsamic Vinegar. make sure to use a high-quality balsamic vinegar that is thick, naturally sweet and pours like molasses (not watery).
- All-purpose flour. an all-purpose gluten-free flour can be used to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Minced garlic. fresh or jarred both work well. You can substitute 1 tsp garlic powder if you don’t have minced garlic on hand.
- Stew Beef. Buying already cut beef stew meat makes this recipe so easy. You can purchase 2 pounds of chuck, round or sirloin and cube it yourself.
- Onion. white, yellow or red onions all work well in this recipe.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes. You can substitute red or russet potatoes, if desired.
- Bay Leaves. Fresh or dried bay leaves both work well in this recipe.
How to Make Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker
This beef stew comes together just in the container of your slow cooker! Let’s walk through the process step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Begin by whisking together the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, flour, paprika salt and pepper in the container of your slow cooker.
Then, add the garlic, meat, onion, potatoes, carrots, celery and bay leaves and stir until everything is combined. It may not look like there is enough liquid – but the vegetables release water as they cook and I promise you there is!
Then, secure the lid onto the slow cooker and cook the beef stew on low for 8-10 hours or until the potatoes are soft and the meat is tender. Set the lid slightly ajar in the last hour or two of cooking to thicken the stew.
Note. you can cook this on high for 4-5 hours, however low and slow is the method that truly yields the best beef stew.
Serve
Once the sauce is thickened and the meat is tender, remove the two bay leaves and serve the beef stew warm, garnished with fresh parsley, if desired.
Since this crock pot beef stew is really a meal in itself, we usually just serve it with a side of crusty no knead bread, french bread, breadsticks, or homemade dinner rolls.
Store/Freeze
Store leftover beef stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop, or in the microwave.
Crock Pot Beef Stew Recipe FAQs
I prefer the soft, buttery texture of Yukon Gold potatoes. Red potatoes are also a great choice.
By cooking this stew low and slow in the crockpot the meat becomes extremely tender. The balsamic vinegar and broth also help tenderize the meat as it cooks.
Beef broth is the main liquid in this recipe.
The flour in this beef stew recipe is the thickener. I also suggest cooking the stew with the lid slightly ajar for 1-2 hours at the end of the cook time so that any excess water can escape and the sauce can thicken.
No, this recipe does not call for browning the stew meat first. The meat actually browns while cooking in the crock pot.
Technically, yes. It will still be delicious but beef broth yields the most authentic flavor.
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Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 pounds beef stew meat cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 Yukon gold potatoes medium, diced
- 4 carrots sliced (1 heaping cup)
- 3 stalks celery sliced (1 heaping cup)
- 2 bay leaves
- Fresh parsley for serving
Instructions
- In the bowl of a slow cooker, whisk together beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, flour, paprika salt and pepper.
- Add the garlic, meat, onion, potatoes, carrots, celery and bay leaves and stir until everything is combined.
- Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, or until the potatoes are soft and the meat is tender. Set the lid slightly ajar in the last hour or two of cooking to thicken the stew.
- Remove the two bay leaves and serve warm with fresh parsley.
Video
Notes
- Beef Broth. In a pinch you can use chicken broth, but beef broth is definitely the best choice.
- Balsamic Vinegar. make sure to use a high-quality balsamic vinegar that is thick, naturally sweet and pours like molasses (not watery).
- All-purpose flour. an all-purpose gluten-free flour can be used to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Minced garlic. fresh or jarred both work well. You can substitute 1 tsp garlic powder if you don’t have minced garlic on hand.
- Stew Beef. Buying already cut beef stew meat makes this recipe so easy. You can purchase 2 pounds of chuck, round or sirloin and cube it yourself.
- Onion. white, yellow or red onions all work well in this recipe.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes. You can substitute red or russet potatoes, if desired.
- Bay Leaves. Fresh or dried bay leaves both work well in this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I plan on making the beef stew as the weather gets a little cooler. the only thing I do not like is balsamic vinegar. Can I just leave it out? Thanks
Yes you can.