Ultimate Slow Cooker Beef Stew made with chuck roast, Yukon potatoes and carrots for a rich beef stew that is perfect for the cold weather.
Like our Classic Beef Stew this slow cooker version is an easy, comfort food Soup Recipe you can make any day of the week.
Slow cooker meals are so popular and with good reason. There is less time with school and holidays and the weather is so cold everyone wants food that is hearty and comforting. This Ultimate Slow Cooker Beef Stew is the best of all worlds.
Serving suggestion? Just like Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup, you can enjoy this meal with Crusty French Bread Rolls or Garlic Bread and a side salad (a nice lemon/olive oil dressing would be great to cut through all the hearty flavors here). The Beef Stew is great for bread dipping.
How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Meal prepping this recipe is easy and makes the perfect weeknight meal. To prepare, simply:
- Brown the beef in cubes.
- While beef is browning cut the carrots and potatoes.
- Add in the remaining ingredients.
- Cook on low for 8 hours.
It will cook all day while you’re gone, and when you get home you have the most amazing smell going through your kitchen.
More Beef Stew Recipes
Philly Cheesesteak Beef Stew
Vegetable Beef Stew
Classic Beef Stew
Instant Pot Beef Stew
Frequently Asked Questions
Brown your beef! This recipe uses a chuck roast, seared it well on both sides, then trimmed and cut it into 2-3 inch chunks.
One of the easiest and most delicious ingredients in this stew: Yukon Potatoes! They’re buttery and rich and won’t fall apart after a long day of cooking. You also don’t need to peel these potatoes which will cut down significantly on the work you have to do before cooking.
This recipe browns the beef in a cast iron skillet to get a GOOD crust on both sides with plenty of kosher salt and black pepper. If you have a slow cooker with an aluminum insert, brown the beef in this make this a one pot meal. It also saves all the browned flavor that stays in the pan for your stew.
If not using a base use beef stock instead of broth, and it’s even more important to get a good sear on the meat, then deglaze the pan with the stock to make sure all the beef flavor comes with it.
Instead of crushed or diced tomatoes we use tomato paste, the concentration of flavors without adding additional liquid makes for a more flavorful stew.
In a stew you aren’t looking for the consistency to be that of a soup, so minimizing added liquids is helpful. If using canned tomatoes instead of paste drain the can.
To thicken beef stew you can either mix equal parts of flour/butter together and add it to the last hour of cooking or you can simply mash 3 or 4 chunks of the potatoes well and mix it into the stew for a natural thickener.
Instead of four cups of beef broth add in 3 cups of broth and one cup of red wine and follow the rest of the recipe as written.
Create a free account to Save Recipes
Best Meat for Beef Stew
Chuck Roast: This is the most old-fashioned and classic cut of meat for most pot roasts or beef stews. Use this as a replacement for most recipes that actually call for stew meat because chuck roasts are typically well-marbled, just be sure when buying the meat you look for more even fat distribution.
Stew Meat: This is the easiest way to go, not expensive cut of meat because it is pre-cut. This is generally not high quality though and is usually extra cuts left over that the butcher is looking to sell off. Avoid this cut in the grocery store if possible.
Ribeye: If you want to impress your guests and you are cooking this during the holidays, you may find a ribeye roast is on sale. During the holiday season it usually sells for a VERY low price (comparable sometimes to chuck). When it does, get a 4 inch thick cut and use it to make the best roasts and stews with it, because it will be a luxurious treat with the most tender beef you’ve ever eaten.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
Ultimate Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Ultimate Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
Slow Cooker Roast Beef (Sliceable!)
Tools Used to Make Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Food Flipper: This tool flips the chuck roast easily. You can use this tool EVERY time you cook something that requires flipping, it is amazing.
Slow Cooker: This recipe was made in this slow cooker. This slow cooker is great for how programmable it is. Plus the locking lid makes it a breeze for making a dish that needs to travel.
Aluminum Insert Slow Cooker: You brown the meat in the insert without losing a bunch of the flavor by transferring the meat and leaving the browned bits behind. If you’re thinking of a new slow cooker, consider it if your budget is open.
Cast Iron Skillet: If you don’t have a slow cooker with a stovetop friendly
insert, this is the most used pan in our kitchen, heavy, keeps heat well and gives the BEST sear ever.
Beef Base: You’ll never buy boxes of broth because if you keep the beef, chicken and vegetable version of this Better Than Bouillon on hand.
How to Store Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Serve: You should never leave meat out for more than 2 hours after cooking it.
- Store: Once the soup has cooled down to room temperature, put it in an airtight container to store it in the fridge. It will keep well for 2-3 days.
- Freeze: You can also freeze Slow Cooker Beef Stew Soup for up to 3 months. Keep it in a freezer bag or other airtight container, and let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating it in a dutch oven on the stovetop.
Ingredients
- 3 pound chuck roast , boneless
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 4 carrots , peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
- 4 Yukon potatoes , cut into 2 inch chunks
- 4 cups beef broth *
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , unsalted
- 2 tablespoons flour
Instructions
- Preheat a large skillet or aluminum slow cooker insert on high heat.
- Season the beef with half the salt and all the pepper.
- Add to the skillet and brown on each side for 4-6 minutes or until deeply browned on each side.
- Remove the beef from the pan and add in the onions.
- Cut the beef into 2-3 inch chunks and add it to the slow cooker.
- Cook the onions for 3 minutes, stir then cook another 3 minutes.
- Into the slow cooker add the onions, carrots, potatoes, broth, second half of the salt, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, garlic and Worcestershire sauce.
- Stir all the ingredients until well mixed and cook on low for 7 hours.
- In a small bowl mix the butter and flour and add it to the slow cooker and stir.
- Cook an additional hour or until thickened.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Want to save this recipe? Create a free account to easily save your favorite recipes
Photos used in a previous version of this post.
I made this recipe Sunday night and followed it exactly. Blah, blah, blah. My husband and son agree. The tomato paste totally overpowers any beefy flavor that would come from the beef stock. It needs more seasoning – salt alone doesn’t do it. Onion soup mix maybe? And there is not enough ‘fat’ – either through oil, or bacon, or something – to give it real mouthfeel.
Just tried this recipe. Eazy & delicious. I added 1 cup red wine, 1 small can sliced mushrooms.
Frozen peas last 15 minutes
Have to say, made this about 2 weeks ago. Had to make a couple very minor changes due to lack of funds. My family just flipped over this. My husband said it took him back to his childhood. He’s never said that before. THANK YOU for such a wonderful recipe.
Delicious recipe!! Didn’t have time to do the 8-9 hours on low but turned out super tender on 5-6 hours on high heat! Hubby loves it, thankyou!!
Hi, I’m going to try this recipe but I’m not sure what you mean when you say “mix the butter and flour” is the butter cold it melted? And I go make an almost crumby texture and then add that to the stew to make dumplings?
You just mash the butter with the flour before adding it. Doing so allows the flour not to clump up while in the slow cooker. Hope this helps!
Can i cook on high for half the time?
I would suggest cooking it on high for 5 hours to ensure the meat is tender. Enjoy!
Can I have this recipe in gluten form? Thank you that’s always helpful to those of us who are gluten intolerant.
To make this recipe gluten free, you’ll want to use a GF beef broth and worcestershire sauce. I would recommend using a sweet rice flour to use at the end for the thickener. I’m not an expert on Gluten free recipes so hopefully all of these suggestions help you out. You can also check out Dishing Delish. She’s an amazing GF blogger. Here’s a link to her beef stew recipe. https://www.dishingdelish.com/paleo-beef-stew/
Hi, can I use tomato sauce at all as a substitute for the tomato paste if I do not have tomato paste? If so, how would you suggest doing it and how much if it will work?
Yes, you can put the tomato sauce in a saucepan and bring it to a brisk simmer over medium heat. Simmer, stirring constantly, for about 7 minutes, or until reduced by about two-thirds. Use it in place on the tomato paste. Hope this helps!
Can I do it on the stove? I dont have a slow cooker!
Yes 🙂
I slow cooked everything on the stove due to less then 7 hrs to cook dinner. AMAZING. Delicious.
Thinking about making this for the upcoming storm this weekend. Is there something I can substitute for the butter when mixing with flour?
Oilve oil or bacon grease both work as a substitute. Stay warm!
My family loves beef stew but I have always made on top of the stove. I would love to try the slow cooker recipe, but we love green beans . When should I add then to slow cooker? Can’t wait to try it!
You can put them in with everything else in the beginning. Enjoy!
This recipe has the perfect ingredients and I’m looking forward to making it. Could it be made on the stovetop too? Would any ingredient adjustments be needed?
Yes, you can make this on the stove top with no adjustments needed. Enjoy!
Do i have to use unsalted butter
I just prefer not adding any additional salt to a recipe but if you don’t mind, you can use salted butter instead.
dumb question..peel Yukon golds or throw in w/skin?
Yep, just wash well but leave the skin on. 🙂
Can you set your slow cooker to high cook this recipe in less time
I really prefer to cook it low and slow but if you need a quicker cook time, you can try cooking it on high for around 4 hours. Enjoy!
Could I cook this on high for half the time? Would it turn out okay?
I would suggest cooking it on high for 5 hours. Enjoy!
Fantastic recipe! My family loved it!! Will definitely be making this again!
I am going to make this beef stew for the first time, I am using already minced garlic by McCormick instead of mincing it myself by using the cloves. How much of the already minced garlic by McCormick should I use?
I just read their site information and it states that 1/4 teaspoon of their minced garlic is equal to 1 clove so I would suggest using 1 teaspoon for this recipe. Hope this helps!
HA ! I should have read the comment before I made this. I added way too much garlic.
I’m not sure there’s such a thing as way too much garlic, haha! I hope you enjoy it.
I added parsnips for a bit of kick and this recipe goes great with it! Delicious.
Sounds delicious!
This was delicious. Simple for the newbie cook and easy to understand. Definitely going to make again.
So glad you decided to give it a try, Marisa!
Do I have to peel the potatoes and carrots?
I peel them for this recipe.
Do I use ground thyme? Thank you
Yes, you can use ground thyme. Enjoy!
Do I have to peel the carrots and potatoes?
Carrots yes, potatoes I don’t. I use yukon so I just wash them. If you use russet you will want to peel them. Sorry for the confusion.
I’m excited to try this. Can you tell me how many people this will feed? I have 13 coming over and have the 8 quart slow cooker you recommended.
This recipes yields 8 servings so you would need to double it. That might be too much for one slow cooker so you may need to make it in two to have plenty in case your guests want seconds. 🙂
Thanks so much. I bought the slow cooker you recommended. Hope you get credit! Do you season the beef only with seasoned flour?
the flour, salt, pepper and thyme. The good browning on the beef and the low and slow cooking time will give you all the good flavors you need. 🙂
I made the beef stew and it was fantastic! I’m a “picky foodie” and this is one of the best recipes for a good homestyle stew. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
I’m making this tomorrow but I’m not sure if I used ground thyme or dried thyme? Can anyone help? Thanks
I’m so sorry but your question was caught in my spam filter. I used dried thyme for this recipe.
Do you melt the butter before mixing it with the flour?
Yes 🙂
This was delicious! I added a splash of soy sauce to round out the flavors and add a bit more salt.
Glad you were able to customize it to your liking, Stephanie! Thanks for the 5 stars!
Planning on making this soon— seems similar to another recipe I know where the meat is cubed first then browned? Do you think the order matters?
I think it’s just a personal preference. 🙂
I made the ultimate slow cooker beef stew last night for my husband and his cousin after they were hunting all day in wind, rain and snow. IT WAS FANTASTIC! I added a bit more potatoes and carrots as my husband loves them. I also bought beef cubes instead of a whole roast and used flour and Montreal steak seasoning when browning the meat.
My kitchen smelled so yummy all afternoon while the stew was cooking.
We had crusty French bread to soak up the broth.
This recipe is a keeper and will become a family tradition each hunting season.
Fantastic! So glad you all enjoyed it!
I’m really excited to try this. However, I won’t be able to get back to my slow cooker until after 9 hours. Would it be okay to cook on low for 9 hours and then add the butter and flower for an additional hour?
Thanks!
Sure 🙂
we tried this recipe and it was GREAT !!! Although we added 3 stalks of celery and 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of Basil !!!
THAT HITS IT OUT OF THE BALL PARK !!!
Yay!! Thanks so much for the 5 star rating, Kevin!
This recipe was delicious! My husband never eats stew. The aroma in my kitchen when he got home changed his mind. This was quite easy. I used pre cut beef and saved a step. I also added a few whole cloves for a little extra flavor to the broth. Hot bread and 2 bowls later my husband was quite full. Thanks
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it!
Has anyone tried cutting this recipe in half? If so did the cook time change? Thanks 🙂
It might take an hour or so less but I usually use the same cook time for a slow cooker. Enjoy!
Looks so good,can’t wait to make!
My mom would make beef stew on the stovetop & it was a childhood favorite, but this – THIS – is next level good and requires far less maintenance in the crockpot. I served it with biscuits, the perfect option for scooping & dipping. My husband has been lauding my cooking for the last hour remarking it’s the best thing he’s ever eaten. That if he was on a deserted island & could only have one thing, this stew is what he would want!
I’d definitely call that a winner!! Thanks for coming back to let me know.
Looks and sounds delicious! Planning to make it tomorrow. Can left overs be put in the freezer and eaten another time? Mostly wondering how the potatoes will fair in the process.
Cooked potatoes usually don’t fair well after freezing and the texture does change. Sorry.
This is the BEST tasting and easiest Beef Stew I have ever made!! The meat was tender enough to “cut with the spoons we used for enjoying our bowls of stew”. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it!
How much is one large scoop of the better than bouillon? I’m trying to use it like the recipe says in place of broth and water.
Follow the directions on the better than bouillon package to make 4 cups of beef broth and then add one large scoop extra for added flavor. Hope this helps clear up any confusion. 🙂
Still not sure what “large scoop” is. An extra teaspoon? Tablespoon? Even larger?
I’d say it’s about a rounded tablespoon. Personally, I love using 2 scoops but everyone has a different tolerance for sodium. I just love the bold flavor that it adds. Hope this helps!
I just made this recipe for dinner tonight and it turned out great. We had it over rice with crescent rolls. This is the first time I have made beef stew from scratch and I like it way better than the envelopes for beef stew I have bought at the store. Thank you.
So glad you decided to give it a try and love it!!
This is absolutely the best beef stew ever. I am not a stew lover, but my husband is and I had made this mainly for him. It was so good we were almost fighting over the leftovers the next night. I think using the roast instead of buying stew meat makes a lot of difference. Also, browning it first made it super easy to cut up. I did use the additional bouillon as was suggested in the footnote.
How amazing, Linda! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know how much you both enjoyed it!
I never leave comments, However I prepared this which took no time at all to set up. All I can say is WOW some of the best beef stew ever!
Yay!! I’m so glad you loved it so much to leave a comment! Thank you so much!!
Came out really nice- I doubled the salt because of the potatoes, came out great! Left it on overnight (~12h total) and everything stayed intact. Love it.
Thank you so much for coming back to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
How large are the potato chucks?
1-2 inch chunks. 🙂 Enjoy!
Made this today for supper and it is delicious. I used stew meat already cut up and didn’t get the full searing flavor if the meat but still delicious.
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Did you cook the stew beef at all before putting into the slow cooker? Or just throw it in raw?
I browned it on each side before placing it in the slow cooker. Enjoy!
Your recipe for “The ultimate slow cooked beef stew” was the very first one of your recipes that we tried – and it was amazing. We will use from now on every time we make stew. We cannot wait to try more of your recipes!
What temp did you set the slow cooker? It doesn’t say.
On low heat.
That looks luscious and so perfect for this time of year!
Thanks Kimberly!
Beef stew is always on the top of my comfort foods list. I wish I had a big bowl of this amazing looking stew right now!
Come on over 😉
Nothing beats a good stew during these cool winter nights.
I know, right?! It’s such a comfort dish!
I could go for this right now! You’ve got my vote!
Thanks Abeer!
We should have this beef stew one night! I love slow cooker meals!
We do too, Catalina! Enjoy!!
This slow cooker beef stew is such a wonderful dinner for the family! So easy and delicious!
Thanks Erin!
This Ultimate Beef Stew looks so hearty & delicious! Comfort food at its finest! Thanks for sharing the recipe, Sabrina!
Enjoy Deb!