Classic Slow Cooker Beef Stew

I was looking for a dish to take to a work potluck that was easy to make, would feed a lot of people, and that is considered Irish. In comes beef stew.

This classic comfort food can be prepped the night before, cooked overnight on low, or for a few hours on high to be done by lunchtime, and it’s a great meal for a chilly day.

This makes quite a bit of stew, enough to feed a crowd or a few people for several days. It also freezes well.

Let’s get into it.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Recipe credit to Savory Nothings.

Time commitment:

Prep - 30 minutes (lots of veggie chopping to do)

Cooking time - 4-8 hours minutes

Cooling time - 15+ minutes

Ready in 4.5-8.5 hours!

Equipment list:

• Serving spoon

• Slow cooker

• Small mixing bowl

• 4 cup measuring cup (or use 1-2 cup x2-4)

• Tablespoon

• 1/2 teaspoon (or use 1/2 of 1 teaspoon)

• Cutting board and knife

• Stovetop

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon oil, with more as needed to fry the stew meat

• 1.5 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-2 inch cubes

• 2 small/medium onions, cut into slim wedges

• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed

• 1 pound potatoes like russets, Yukon gold, or “waxy” texture (these potatoes will soak up the stew broth better than red or other potatoes), peeled and cut into chunks (don’t slice too thin or the potatoes will turn to mush)

• 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally (don’t slice too thin or the carrots will turn to mush)

• 3 sticks celery, sliced (don’t slice too thin or the celery will turn to mush)

• 4 cups beef broth

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 4 tablespoons flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to season the meat

• Pepper, to taste and to season the meat

• 1 sprig thyme OR 1/2 teaspoon dried

• 1 sprig rosemary OR 1/2 teaspoon dried

• 1 bay leaf (optional, but a great flavor add)

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 3 tablespoons cool water

Steps to get your classic beef stew:

1. Gather all your equipment and ingredients. Preheat your frying pan on medium heat.

   • TIP: Chop your veggies at this step, or do it while the meat cooks in step 2.

2. To your preheated pan, add pieces of stew meat; do not overcrowd the pan—season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook the beef until it is no longer pink and is browned on all sides. Cook all meat, working in batches, then add to the bottom of the slow cooker.

   • TIP: While the meat cooks, chop your veggies! Or chop it all during your prep.

3. Add onions to the same skillet used to cook the meat, sautéing until softened. Pour in 1/2 cup of beef broth, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan (this adds more flavor!). Once finished, pour the pan over the meat in the slow cooker.

4. Add the potatoes, carrots, and celery to the meat and onions.

5. In a measuring cup or bowl, mix together 4 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme if using, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a couple of shakes of pepper (or more if you like a peppery flavor to your stew), 3.5 cups beef broth, and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, adding wet ingredients to the dry. Whisk out all lumps, then stir into the slow cooker, mixing the meat, onions, and other veggies evenly.

6. If using fresh thyme and/or rosemary, add to the top of the slow cooker and tuck into the crock. Add the bay leaf and tuck into the crock.

7. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4 hours.

   • TIP: You can easily prep this and cook it overnight if taking it to a function, leaving it on warm until lunchtime. You can also prep the veggies overnight and leave them to sit in the broth in the crock, cooking the next day, but never leave vegetables to sit for more than 24 hours.

8. Take the lid off the slow cooker for the last 15-30 minutes of cooking. In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of cold water. Stir into the crock very carefully, cooking for 15-30 more minutes.

   • TIP: The point of this step is to thicken up the liquid in the stew. The cornstarch will work its magic, but if the stew is still too thin, you can mix up more cornstarch/cool water and stir into the crock until you reach your desired thickness. Take it easy and pour in 1 tablespoon at a time, watching for the stew to thicken as it cooks. Too much cornstarch, and you’ll have a congealed mess.

9. Serve warm with bread, mashed potatoes, another side, or by itself.