Slow Cooked Beef Stew – Beef stew is a seasonal dish for my family. It’s naturally hearty in nature, and tends to be one of my featured slow cooker dishes when the weather turns cold. Today, I’m using cubes of chuck roast because it was on sale and slow cooking makes it incredibly tender and flavorful. However, stew beef is a bit leaner, and of course, works perfectly for slow cooking, too! This is one of those moments that it pays to have a great relationship with the butcher at your local butcher shop or grocery store, so, they can help you out by cutting the meat into cubes for you.
When chuck roasts or stew beef go on sale, that’s when I tuck a pack of these delectable cubes into my freezer for a rainy day pot of stew. I recommend when you’re preparing this stew go the extra mile and brown the meat cubes prior to slow cooking the stew. It’s well worth the trouble and adds a layer of flavor you’d miss otherwise. I like to serve this with a scoop of rice, and a sprinkle of parsley, but, a close favorite would also be to serve it over egg noodles or just on it’s own. And, I always have a basket of crusty garlic bread to dip in the rich gravy.
See it at Whatcha Crockin’ here
Slow Cooked Beef Stew
Author: Melissa Sperka
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
- 2-2½ lb cubed chuck roast or stew beef
- ½-1 lb peeled baby carrots
- 10-12 small red potatoes, halved
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 1 stalk of celery thinly sliced
- 8 oz sliced baby portabella mushrooms
- 1½ cup beef stock
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- Seasoned flour to coat the meat cubes:
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- ½ tsp meat seasoning blend [*see cook's note]
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- ½ tsp paprika
- black pepper to taste
- Add'l seasonings:
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp meat seasoning blend [*see cook's note]
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne [optional]
- salt and black pepper to taste
- olive oil
Instructions
- Mix together the seasoned flour ingredients.
- Coat the pieces of meat with the seasoned flour on all sides. You can do this by shaking in a large plastic storage bag or by hand.
- In a stove top pan, in a few drizzles of olive oil, brown the meat on all sides.
- Arrange the meat onto the bottom of the slow cooker.
- To the pan add the Worcestershire sauce to deglaze the pan scraping any brown bits off the bottom.
- Add the mushrooms, sliced celery, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of meat seasoning, ½ teaspoon of dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder. Cayenne if using.
- Add salt and black pepper to your taste. Scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan, then add 1½ cups of beef stock. Bring to a simmer then remove from the heat.
- Arrange the onion slices and carrots over the meat cubes. Sprinkle the veggies with additional salt, black pepper and meat seasoning.
- Pour the broth and mushrooms over the top. Cover tightly.
- Cook on high for 1 hour then add the red potatoes halves. Continue to cook on high for an additional 4-5 hours or on low for 8-10. Stir well before serving.
- Serve hot with rice or egg noodles.
Melissa, I still haven’t bought a slow cooker, but I’m gonna try this recipe on my stove top. Think it will work? I love the seasonings you use:)
Hi Linda!! It wil most certainly work on the stove top especially well in a dutch oven, which could then be transferred to your oven. Finish it off there at about 325 degrees until the meat is fork tender. [Probably around 2 1/2-3 hours] Thanks for stopping by ~ Melissa
Sounds good, we gonna make this Saturday . Got guest coming and with good Italian Bread and a salad it should fill their bellies.
Morchella, that sounds like a winner! Enjoy, Melissa
Melissa…what slow cooker do you recommend? My daughter in law is gluten free…do you think I can leave off the flour part? Thanks!
use corn starch instead of flour.
Sure you can if you prefer.
I’m using a Hamilton Beach 6 quart programmable right now. I’ve used Crock Pots too, of course, but, I love this Hamilton Beach. As far as the flour, you could leave it off, and brown the meat in salt & pepper. Your sauce won’t be quite as thick since the flour is the thickening. Perhaps, thicken with something she can tolerate? Hope this helps!
Feels like a stupid question, but what about a pork roast? Would it cook the same, same seasonings? We have a bunch of it and I need to find something other then pulled pork or spiced pork for sandwiches.
Hi Alicia! Not stupid at all, in fact, I’m at bit intrigued. ☺ I haven’t done it, but, I would imagine it would be fantastic as a stew, perhaps taking a bit less time to cook. [I’d recommend checking it around the 6 hour mark] You could also, cut the pork roast into 1″ slices and cook it like pork chops, as well in the slow cooker. Hope this helps!
What is the meat seasoning?
Angela you could use your favorite steak seasoning or a blend called “Meat Magic” by Chef Paul Prudhomme available on the spice aisle in most grocery stores.
I want to make the stew but forgot 1 ingredient at the store the worcestershire sauce. 🙁 how much of an impact will it make on the taste if I dont use it?
Evelyn, no worries you can leave it out or try a splash of soy or teriyaki sauce in it’s place.
Thank you!