Description
This hearty Crockpot Beef Stew is the perfect comfort food for cozy nights. Tender beef cubes browned to perfection, simmered slowly with potatoes, carrots, celery, and a rich broth enhanced with tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Easy to prepare and ideal for filling family meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Aromatics
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 pounds boneless stewing beef cubes or chuck
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
Vegetables
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
Liquids and Seasonings
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pepper, to taste
- 3 bay leaves
Optional Thickener
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
Instructions
- Prep: Gather all ingredients. Cut the beef chuck roast into bite-sized pieces for even cooking. Peel and cut potatoes into 1-inch chunks, peel and slice carrots, chop the onion, and mince the garlic.
- Brown the Beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the beef cubes in batches until they develop a nice crust, ensuring better flavor and texture. Set aside the browned beef.
- Layer: Place the browned beef, chopped onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, and celery in the slow cooker in even layers.
- Broth: In a bowl, mix the beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce until well combined. Pour this mixture evenly over the ingredients in the slow cooker.
- Aromatics: Add the bay leaves on top of the layers, then cover the slow cooker with its lid.
- Cook: Cook the stew on low heat for 7-8 hours or on high heat for 4-5 hours. Cooking until the beef is tender and vegetables are soft.
- Thicken (Optional): If you prefer a thicker stew, approximately 30 minutes before the cooking time ends, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry and stir it into the stew. Re-cover and continue cooking until thickened.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the bay leaves before serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently and serve hot.
Notes
- This stew is a comforting and hearty meal perfect for chilly days or dinner gatherings.
- Browning the beef before slow cooking enhances the stew’s flavor dramatically.
- The cornstarch slurry is optional but recommended if you want a thicker broth.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- You can add other vegetables like peas or mushrooms during the last hour of cooking if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (approximate)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
