This traditional Beef Stew is the best Slow Cooker recipe for Fall and Winter. It’s loaded with tender bites of juicy beef, golden potatoes, carrots, peas, red wine, onions, garlic, and a hearty beef broth. Serve it with warm biscuits, cornbread, or even over mashed potatoes.
Be sure to try my Crock Pot Roast recipe next!
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Who doesn’t love a hearty bowl of rich and flavorful beef stew. It’s such a traditional Fall and Winter comfort food. I’ve been working on slight variations of this recipe for years and I have to say, this version is definitely the best ever.
All of the ingredients in this recipe compliment each other so well, and the quantities of each are perfect, with no ingredient overpowering another.
Let’s get into everything you need to know. From the what cuts of beef to use, the best potatoes for stew, pro tips, storage, and more:
How to Make It
See recipe card at bottom of post for ingredient quantities and full instructions
Cut meat into 1-inch cubes, discard any large pieces of fat. Fat marbleized into the meat is fine!
Season beef with pepper, garlic salt, and celery salt. Toss to coat. Sprinkle flour over the meat and toss again. Sear the meat in batches for 45 seconds per side and transfer to the Slow Cooker.
Melt 1 Tablespoon of butter and soften the onions and garlic, scraping up any meat remnants up from the pot. Add a splash of wine to help loosen if necessary. Transfer to the Slow Cooker.
Add all remaining ingredients except for the peas, corn starch, and 2 Tablespoons of cold butter. Heat on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, until the vegetables are softened and the potatoes are fork tender.
Add the peas during the last 15 minutes of cooking. To thicken, combine 1/4 cup cold water + 3 Tablespoons corn starch and slowly stir it into the broth. It will continue to thicken upon standing. Turn off heat and remove the bay leaves and rosemary stem. Add browning and seasoning sauce.
Best Beef for Stew
- Chuck roasts -The best option. It is preferred over other cuts because of the connective tissue, which makes it more tender. (Bonus: It’s also a less expensive cut than other types.)
- Rump roasts
- Bottom rounds
Best Potatoes to Use
Yukon Gold and Red Potatoes are best for stews as they have less starch content and hold up much better than russet potatoes, which tend to fall apart and break down into the stew.
Searing the Meat
Searing the beef adds a nice color, flavor, and texture for the stew, it also creates a nice base to soften up the onions and garlic. The remnants from the meat are loosened up with butter/wine and transferred to the Slow Cooker for the ultimate flavor base.
Sear just long enough to give the exterior a crisp texture, don’t cook it all the way through. 45 seconds per side is all it takes.
Can You Put Raw Beef in the Slow Cooker?
Yes. If you don’t have time to sear the meat, you can toss it in the flour mixture and place it right in the Slow Cooker along with the uncooked onions and garlic.
Red Wine Substitute
An equal amount of beef broth or red grape juice may be used instead of wine, along with 2 Tablespoons of Red Wine Vinegar. The acidity helps to break down and tenderize the meat.
For an Irish twist on this recipe, use 1 cup of extra stout Guinness instead of wine.
Pro Tips
- Handle the beef least amount possible for extra juicy, tender results. Otherwise you’ll cause juices to run right out of it which will make it tough.
- Swirl in 2 Tablespoons of cold butter at the very end for a smooth, velvety finish. This is a technique that chefs use called “Monter au beurre”.
- Optional ingredient additions include celery, green beans, parsnips, and sweet potatoes.
- This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 47!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Spice Rack– This is the one I have, it’s a snap to measure out your seasonings quickly and easily. (Big time saver.)
- Measuring Spoons– To measure out the seasonings.
- Pinch Bowls– I measure out my seasonings ahead of time and add them to these small bowls so they’re ready to go when it’s time to add them.
- Garlic Twister– it’s much more flavorful to mince fresh garlic. This twister does it in seconds and is easy to clean and store.
- Soup Bowls –(I love these!)
- 16 oz. storage containers – I use these to store/freeze my soups. They have 8 oz. sizes as well. They’re stackable, leak proof, and dishwasher/microwave safe.
What to Serve with Beef Stew
- Cornbread
- Easy Buttermilk Biscuits
- Paula Deen’s Corn Casserole Recipe
- Mashed Potatoes
- Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls
- Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Try These Next
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Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds stew meat, see notes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3-6 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons cold butter, separated
- 2 cups yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup high-quality cabernet sauvignon, merlot works as well. See notes.
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 tsp better than bouillon, or 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 5 medium carrots, cut into chunks, about 1-inch
- 1 lb. baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved or quartered
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 cup Cold Water + 3 tablespoons Corn Starch, Optional
- 2-3 drops
Gravy Master , (Optional)- Adds an even richer darker color.
Instructions
- Cut meat into 1-inch cubes, discard any large pieces of fat. Fat marbleized into the meat is fine!
- Sprinkle beef with black pepper, garlic salt, and celery salt. Toss to coat. Sprinkle flour over the meat and toss again.
- Heat 3 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat in batches, don’t overcrowd the pan. Brown on each side for 45 seconds. Add more oil if needed. Transfer to slow cooker.
- Reduce heat to medium and melt 1 Tablespoon butter. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Use a silicone spatula to clean the bottom of the pan, removing any brown remnants. This will give the soup lots of good flavor. If necessary, add a splash of wine to help loosen it. Transfer the onions/garlic mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add all remaining ingredients except for the peas, corn starch mixture, and 2 tablespoons of cold butter.
- Cook on low for 7 ½ to 8 hours or high for 3½ to 4 hours, until the vegetables are softened and the potatoes are fork tender.
- Add the peas during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Remove the bay leaves and rosemary stem.
- Optional: To thicken, combine ¼ cup COLD water with 3 Tablespoons of cornstarch. Slowly add it to the stew, stirring to incorporate. It will continue to thicken upon standing.
- Turn off the heat. Swirl in 2 tablespoons of cold butter for a smooth, velvety finish. This is a technique that chefs use called “Monter au Beurre”.Optional: Add 3 drops of Gravy Master for an even darker color.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Best cuts of Beef for Stew • Chuck roasts (the best option)
• Rump roasts
• Bottom rounds You can also season and sear a whole roast for about 8 minutes total, and then cut it into cubes. This results in less moisture loss, but there is also less surface area to season and add a seared texture to.
Red Wine Substitute
- An equal amount of beef broth or red grape juice may be used instead of wine, along with 2 Tablespoons of Red Wine Vinegar. The acidity helps to break down and tenderize the meat.
- For an Irish twist on this recipe, use 1 cup of extra stout Guinness instead of wine.
Optional ingredient addition: Celery, green beans, parsnips, and sweet potatoes.
This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 47!
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. This recipe makes 6 servings.
Could this recipe be made in a pressure cooker?
Hi Meghan, I’m sure that it can but I haven’t tested out/outlined, a process for that yet, this specific recipe was designed for the slow cooker 🙂
The best beef stew ever!!
Made for the family tonight and everyone loved it.
Hubby’s only complaint was that there were no leftovers…lol
Thank you for this luscious recipe!
Have a safe and Happy Holiday Season!!
Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Thanks so much for the great comments and review Melissa! I love your husbands only complaint!😍 Have a great Holiday Season!
I’ve made this stew multiple times (at least once a month) since March, and every single time it has come out absolutely delicious, drink every drop from the bowl worthy. It’s so easy to make, and sticks to your ribs when paired with bread. I always make a large crockpot worth, and my boyfriend and I eat on it happily for days. I have this recipe bookmarked but at this point, I’ve made it so many times that I don’t even need it anymore! 10/10, 5 stars, and I will keep making this stew for years to come. 🥰
I’m so happy to hear you’re enjoying the ribs Alexzander! I love serving with a side of bread too,😋! Thanks so much for the great comments and review!
I am very much looking forward to trying this recipe! When using green beans, should they be frozen or fresh, and when do I add them? Thank you!
I would use fresh green beans and add them at the beginning! 🙂 Enjoy!!
Thank you for sharing your delicious recipe. My extremely fussy husband pretty much devoured the entire pot! He would growl when he heard the word stew, but not no more. I asked him to taste the gravy and that was it.
The tenderness of the meat, the slightly sweet taste of the vegetables, the addition of the red wine came together and created the most amazing stew I’ve ever made. Thank you for a definite winner!
I’m soooo happy to hear that Adrienne! My husband is super picky too, so I know I have a winner whenever he approves. It sounds like you nailed it, thanks so much for the great comments and for taking the time to leave a review!😃
I made this recipe exactly as written and it was Amazing! I’ve never been a beef stew fan but in the mood for something warm, cozy, and rich, so I thought, “ Why not?” I made served it over warm biscuits and savored every bite! I highly recommend including the “optional” bits to get the full flavor and savory richness out of the recipe! This will become a staple during winter months!
Yayyy! I’m so happy you enjoyed this cozy Stew! I agree, including the optional bits definitely help create a full flavor😋. Thanks so much for the great comments and for taking the time to leave a review!
Easy and delicious, my local meat market has beef already cut up and ready to buy which Is so convenient! I seared with flour cornstarch combo … Saute onion garlic and then added some merlot . Basically followed recipe exact .. red potatoes , baby carrots and celery .. added the cornstarch at the end because the sauce was a little thin … Served with Pillsbury biscuits .. my kids loved it !
I’m so happy everyone enjoyed it kelly, especially the kids! Sounds like you did a great job, and serving with biscuits is a great call!😋 Thanks so much for the great comments and for leaving a review!
I’m always in search of the actual best stew recipe and this one may have taken that prize. It was SO good! Rich and flavorful. Definitely a keeper.
Wow, such a great compliment Aimee, thank you so much!❤️ I’m pretty proud of this one, it always seems to get rave reviews when I serve it to my family!
Hello Stephanie
I want to tell you that I followed your recipe for the beef stew ! It was by far the best recipe that I have put together by far ! I don’t need to sample another beef stew recipe !
Thank you so much for sharing that
Thank you
Ruby
Hi Ruby! I am soo happy to hear that, you made my day, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it! -Stephanie
Absolutely delicious and easy preparation! I doubled most of the recipe to accommodate my larger quantity. I am enjoying it and always will. Great recipe for sure!👌😋
That’s so great to hear James! This is a great way to feed a larger crowd. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!😍