Description
This Slow Cooker Beef Stew is a hearty, flavorful dish perfect for comforting dinners. Tender chunks of beef are seasoned, seared, and slow-cooked with vegetables, red wine, and herbs to create a rich, savory stew. The addition of butter at the end gives it a smooth, velvety finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Seasoning
- 2 ½ pounds stew meat
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ¼ cup flour
Cooking Fats
- 3-6 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons cold butter, divided
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 cups yellow onions, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved or quartered
- 1 cup frozen peas
Liquids and Flavorings
- 1 cup cabernet sauvignon or merlot
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig rosemary
- ¼ cup cold water (optional, for thickening)
- 3 tablespoons corn starch (optional, for thickening)
- 2-3 drops Gravy Master (optional, for color)
Instructions
- Prepare the Meat: Cut the stew meat into 1-inch cubes, removing any large pieces of fat but keeping marbled fat. Sprinkle the beef evenly with black pepper, garlic salt, and celery salt, then toss to coat. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and toss again until coated.
- Sear the Beef: Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. In batches to avoid overcrowding, brown the meat for 45 seconds on each side. Add more oil if needed. Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker.
- Sauté Onions and Garlic: Reduce heat to medium and melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the same skillet. Add diced onions and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour a splash of wine into the skillet, scraping the bottom with a spatula to loosen browned bits, which adds flavor.
- Add Aromatics and Liquids: Transfer the onions, garlic, and wine mixture to the slow cooker with the beef. Add beef broth, bouillon cubes, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, and rosemary. Stir to combine.
- Slow Cook the Stew: Cook on low for 7 ½ to 8 hours or on high for 3 ½ to 4 hours until vegetables are tender and potatoes are fork-tender.
- Add Peas and Finish Cooking: During the last 15 minutes of cooking, stir in the frozen peas. Remove the bay leaves and rosemary sprig before serving.
- Optional Thicken the Stew: To thicken, mix ¼ cup cold water with 3 tablespoons corn starch until smooth. Slowly stir this mixture into the stew near the end of cooking. The stew will continue to thicken as it stands.
- Finish with Butter and Optional Color: Turn off the heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold butter for a velvety finish, a technique called Monter au Beurre. Optionally, add 2-3 drops of Gravy Master to deepen the color.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Best beef cuts for stew are chuck roasts (preferred), rump roasts, or bottom rounds.
- For less moisture loss and more even seasoning, sear a whole roast before cutting into cubes.
- If you want to substitute red wine, use an equal amount of beef broth or red grape juice plus 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar to maintain acidity and tenderness.
- For an Irish twist, replace the wine with 1 cup extra stout Guinness beer.
- Stovetop method: After searing, reduce ½ cup wine by half over medium heat, then add seared beef and juices and simmer gently for 1-2 hours until tender. Add peas last and thicken as desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
