The Cozy Cook

Book cover graphicThe Cozy Cookbook is here! Order Now!

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

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!

A white bowl filled with Slow Cooker Beef Stew with a spoon in the background.

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.

Coating beef in flour mixture and searing in a skillet to make Slow Cooker Beef Stew.

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.

Seared Beef in a Slow Cooker next to sauteed onions in a pot.

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.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew before and after cooking.

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

Try These Next

Get My Free Meal Plan

I’ve got a Free Meal Plan with 7 of my super popular recipes (complete with grocery list)! Sign up for my email list and I’ll send it over now along with weekly dinner recipes!

And follow me on FacebookInstagram, and Pinterest!

A ladle scooping Beef Stew up from a Slow Cooker.

Tried This Recipe?

Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A close up view of Slow Cooker Beef Stew with beef, potatoes, carrots, peas, and red wine.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

4.98 from 469 ratings
This traditional Beef Stew is loaded with tender bites of juicy beef, golden potatoes, carrots, peas, red wine, onions, garlic, and a hearty beef broth. It's the BEST Slow Cooker recipe for Fall and Winter.

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

Storage
  • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 507kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 49g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 132mg, Sodium: 1035mg, Potassium: 1377mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 658IU, Vitamin C: 41mg, Calcium: 93mg, Iron: 6mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!

Order The Cozy Cookbook!

Easy Recipes. Extra Comfort.

Order your copy today!

Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Click the Stars to Rate This Recipe




1,284 comments on “Slow Cooker Beef Stew”

  1. Any thoughts on adapting for instant pot? I’ve got this in the crock pot right now (and I can’t WAIT to eat it!!!) but I got a late start. I always think beef stew cooked on high in a crock pot ends with tougher meat so I try to do some cooking time at low and then adjust up for the last few hours. However, I’m wondering if the instant pot may solve my problem… thoughts? 🙂 Thanks so much for the recipe! As I said, I’m excited to try it!

    • Hi Sarah, I’m so sorry but I haven’t tested this in the Instant Pot 🙁

      • This was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! Definitely one of the best stews I’ve ever had or made! Next time I’ll use cheap stew meat and try it in the instant pot (that way I haven’t wasted a $15-$20 piece of meat if it doesn’t work well haha) and I’ll report back with findings! 😉

      • Hey Sarah! I am SO happy to hear that you loved this stew, thank you sooo much for taking the time to leave this review, I really appreciate it! 🙂 -Stephanie

  2. Thank you so much for your quick response! I’m new to cooking in a crockpot so I have one more question! Should I add carrots and celery towards the end? I’m just worried about them getting mushy but I’m not sure how that works in a crockpot. Thanks for the amazing recipe!

  3. This beef stew is so delicious and the whole family loved it! If someone is like me, interested in using real ingredients, nothing else. I omitted the bouillon and browning sauce with yet great results! The wine, in my opinion is a must because it adds a wonderful touch and aroma! 

  4. The BEST stew I ever made!!!!!

  5. Absolutely loved this recipe! About to make it again today!!

  6. When I asked my husband what he wanted for his birthday he said “ beef stew!” I decided that this recipe looked good so I tried it. I was a big hit!! Everyone loved it, including my daughter’s fiancé who keeps begging me to make another  pot full for him! He says he usually doesn’t even eat vegetables but he ate them in the stew! Thanks for sharing!!

    • I am so thrilled to hear that Mary, your story really made my day- thank you SO much. So glad that you enjoyed this one!! -Stephanie (ps- THANK YOU for the review, it’s so appreciated!!)

  7. This is the best beef stew I have ever had. My husband makes a great chili, and thinks he made a great beef stew. His idea of a beef stew is some stew meat in a pot, some Idaho potatoes and cans and cans of gravy. I could not even think of eating it as I could see my arteries closing up. There are a lot of ingredients in this recipe, but so well worth it. My biggest problem with this recipe is that I did not want to stop eating it! Instead of my husbands beef stew every 5 years, I will be making this beef stew much more often.

    • Hi Patty! I am so happy to hear that!! You made my day. A good beef stew recipe is GOLD, isn’t it!? It took me a while to finalize this one and now we make it all the time. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a wonderful review, I really appreciate it!! You’re the best! -Stephanie

  8. For us, this was just okay. The wine was too much to me. Covid has ruined my taste buds though. Not sure what to replace it with. Also, my potatoes weren’t done either which was shocking since it cooked for 8.5 hours. The meat and carrots were super yummy and soft! I’ll try it again and tweak it a bit. 

    • Hi Amber! If your potatoes weren’t done after 8.5 hours, I wonder if you were opening the lid of the Crock Pot as the stew was cooking? You can lose a lot of heat and set yourself back timewise. That would be one reason that the potatoes weren’t done and that the wine wasn’t rendered down sufficiently. Otherwise, it sounds like the Crock Pot wasn’t getting up to temperature for some other reason.

  9. I just love this recipe.

  10. Absolutely delicious!! And our house smelled amazing the whole time it cooked. Just curious- what’s the portion size for the nutrition information at the bottom? Is it a cup for the 507 calories? (So helpful to have that nutrition information by the way! Thank you!!) 

    • Hi Patty! I didn’t measure how many cups this makes, but if you were to evenly portion this out into 6 servings, that’s what the nutritional information is based on. (Per serving!)-I hope that helps!! -Stephanie

As Seen On…