Go Back

Crock Pot Beef Stew

Crock Pot beef stew with fall-apart beef, hearty potatoes and carrots, and a rich mahogany broth thickened with a cornstarch slurry. Slow-cooked on Low for deep flavor, then finished on High until the broth turns glossy and thick.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and seasoning
  • 2.5 lb beef chuck Cut into 1.5-inch cubes.
  • salt and pepper Season generously; add in the last step too if needed.
Vegetables
  • 1 lb baby potatoes Halved.
  • 3 carrots Cut into thick rounds.
  • 3 celery Sliced.
  • 1 onion Diced.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
Broth and flavoring
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup red wine or extra broth Use red wine for depth; swap to extra broth if preferred.
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
Thickening
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp water Make a slurry with cornstarch.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and layer
  1. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Place the potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion in the bottom of the Crockpot and nestle the beef on top.
Build the stew base
  1. Add garlic, beef broth, red wine or extra broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaves.
Slow cook
  1. Cook on Low 8-10 hours, or High 4-5 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender.
Thicken and finish
  1. Remove the bay leaves, then stir in the cornstarch slurry.
  2. Cook on High 20-30 minutes until the broth thickens and looks glossy.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: Brown is optional, but cutting the beef into consistent 1.5-inch cubes helps it become uniformly tender on schedule. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days in an airtight container; reheat in a pot on the stove over medium heat until hot. Freeze yes—freeze without the final salt adjustment, and thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat and taste to re-season. Dietary swap: use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce if you need to keep it gluten-free.