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two hands holding a bowl of old fashioned beef stew showing what's in it: beef, potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, gravy
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Beef Stew Recipe (Crock Pot)

Slow Cooker Beef Stew is a meal-in-one packed with tender meat and veggies swimming in the most amazingly flavorful gravy broth!   It's easy, hearty, comforting and SO good you won't be able to stop at just one bowl! 
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings 6 -8 servings

Ingredients

Beef Stew

  • 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
  • 2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast cut into bite size pieces
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 4-5 medium red potatoes, chopped (about 1 pound)
  • 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 4 stalks celery, sliced thick (1/4”-1/2”)
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bay leaf

Beef Gravy Broth

Instructions

  • Chop meat into bite size pieces. While meat is still on the cutting board, toss it with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add half of the beef to the very hot skillet and let cook undisturbed for approximately 2 minutes, or until nicely seared on one side, then continue to cook while stirring until beef is browned all over but not cooked through. Remove beef to 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker. Repeat with remaining beef.
  • Add all of the vegetables and garlic to the slow cooker and toss with the beef.
  • Add all the the Beef Gravy Broth ingredients to the now empty skillet (wipe out excess grease but leave brown bits). The flour will be lumpy at first but will dissolve as you cook and continue to whisk. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until thickened to the consistency of gravy. Add to slow cooker and toss to combine. Add bay leaf. The Gravy will be very thick but will thin to the perfect consistency as moisture is released from the vegetables as they cook.
  • Cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours or on LOW for 8-10 hours or until vegetables and beef are very tender. Discard bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Video

Notes

Don't miss the "how to make" recipe video at the top of the post!
**May substitute low sodium beef broth if you are unable to find beef consommé.

PREPARE AHEAD

  • Veggies:  you can pre-cut all your veggies the night before you plan on cooking your Slow Cooker Beef Stew and place them in an airtight container.
  • Potatoes:  Once you cut the potatoes, starch is released which will cause them to brown, so make sure you submerge them in water to prevent this discoloration. Simply place the potatoes in a bowl or airtight container, cover with water then cover with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Beef:  you can chop your beef into 2-3” pieces the night before.  You can even sear the beef the night before.  Make sure your beef cools to room temperature before sealing in an airtight container or zip bag and placing in the refrigerator.
  • Gravy:  You can whisk all of the gravy ingredients together and store in an airtight container.
  • Everything:  You can completely assemble the Crockpot Beef Stew IN the crockpot and refrigerate the ceramic insert.   This makes for a hassle free, no fuss morning! Just be aware you may need to add additional cooking time and a little extra broth at the end of cooking.

HOW TO FREEZE BEEF STEW

I don't suggest freezing Slow Cooker Beef Stew with potatoes because potatoes turn into a bizarre, mushy texture.  You can risk it if you're not as picky about texture or remove the potatoes before freezing.  To freeze:
  1. Cool: Allow Crockpot Beef Stew to cool completely before freezing to preserve the integrity of the ingredients.
  2. Package:  Transfer soup to an airtight freezer safe container or freezer bag.  You can even use sandwich size plastic bags for individual stew portions.  Squeeze out any excess air to prevent freezer burn and label
  3. Freeze. Freeze for up to 3 months.
  4. Defrost/Reheat. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat in the microwave, crockpot or stove according to aforementioned instructions.