Old Fashioned Beef Stew Recipe Slow Cooker Style

Ingredients

Beef and sear

2.5 lb beef chuck roast (cut into 1.5-inch cubes)
1 tbsp all-purpose flour (dusted over beef)
1 tsp kosher salt
0.5 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp neutral oil (avocado or refined sunflower)

Vegetables

1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes (halved)
3 medium carrots (1-inch coins)
3 ribs celery (sliced)
1 large yellow onion (diced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 cup frozen peas (added last 20 minutes)

Broth and seasoning

2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 cup dry red wine (Cabernet or Merlot)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig rosemary
2 leaves bay leaves
1 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

Step 1: Dry, season, dust the beef

Pat the chuck cubes bone-dry with paper towels. Moisture kills the sear. Toss with salt, pepper, and flour until every side is coated.

Step 2: Sear in batches

Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat until it shimmers. Sear beef in 2 or 3 batches, spaced apart, 2 to 3 minutes per side without moving. You want deep mahogany, not grey. Transfer to the slow cooker.

Step 3: Deglaze the pan

Pour wine into the hot skillet. Scrape up every browned bit with a wooden spoon. Bubble 60 seconds. Pour everything into the slow cooker.

Step 4: Build the pot

Add onion, garlic, carrots, celery, potatoes around the beef. Stir in the broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire, paprika, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves. Liquid should reach two-thirds up the solids, not fully submerged.

Step 5: Low and slow

Cover, cook on LOW for 8 hours (best) or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. Target beef internal temp: 195°F / 90°C for full collagen conversion.

Step 6: Peas and rest

Stir in frozen peas the last 20 minutes. Cover, let them heat through. Remove herb sprigs and bay leaves. Rest uncovered 10 minutes before serving so the broth settles and thickens.

Old Fashioned Beef Stew Recipe Slow Cooker Style — So Easy