The Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Beef Stew – Rich and hearty stew packed with melt in your mouth beef chunks and veggies, and slow cooked to a crazy delicious and tender perfection. This is a recipe that you’ll go back to again and again.

The Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Beef Stew is a hearty dish packed with slow cooked tender chunks of meat and veggies, making this meal a comforting option for the cold months ahead. Or, for this weekend! Making a hearty, yet low carb and healthy dinner has never been easier and more delicious than with this Beef Stew recipe.

The Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Rich and hearty stew packed with melt in your mouth beef chunks and veggies, and slow cooked to a crazy delicious and tender perfection.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 2 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch pieces, fat trimmed off
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 celery ribs, sliced
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth, divided
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh thyme

FOR THE THICKENER

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Place cut up beef in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add beef and sear until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Depending on the size of your skillet, you might have to do this in batches, adding more olive oil if necessary.
4. Transfer the browned beef to a 6-quart slow cooker; arrange prepared carrots, celery, and mushrooms over the meat inside the slow cooker and set aside.
5. Heat the rest of the olive oil and sauté the onions for 3 minutes, or until softened.
6. Stir in the minced garlic and continue to sauté for 30 seconds, or until fragrant; transfer to the slow cooker.
7. Put the skillet back on the stove over medium-high heat and deglaze the pan with red wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get all the browned bits; cook for 1 minute.
8. Whisk in the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce; cook for 30 seconds while whisking.
9. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of beef broth; cook for 1 minute.
10. Pour the prepared liquid over the beef and vegetables.
11. Stir in the remaining broth into the slow cooker and add bay leaves and thyme over the veggies.
12. Close with a lid and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. Times may vary depending on how hot your slow cooker runs.
13. 30 minutes before the beef stew is done cooking, make a slurry by whisking together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water. Stir the slurry into the slow cooker, set to HIGH, and continue to cook for 30 minutes.
14. When done, taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
15. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Recipe Notes
HOW TO STORE BEEF STEW

1. Completely cooled down leftovers should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
2. To reheat a single serving, cover your bowl with a microwave-safe lid or a wet paper towel. Reheat the stew for 2 minutes on high, and then let stand for 1 minute before taking it out of the microwave.
3. Larger batches can be reheated on the stove top over medium-low heat until it reaches a temperature of 165F. This could take up to 30 minutes.

HOW TO FREEZE BEEF STEW

1. If you want to freeze cooked stew, consider not adding the slurry/thickener because it will separate on thawing.
2. To freeze uncooked beef stew, combine all the prepared (chopped) ingredients in a large freezer bag or an airtight container and place in the freezer.When ready to make, thaw all the ingredients and continue with the recipe. You can also just place all the thawed ingredients in the crock pot and cook for 7 to 8 hours on LOW.
3. To freeze cooked beef stew, allow beef stew to cool down completely. Transfer beef stew to large freezer bags or airtight containers and place in the freezer for up to 2 months.

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