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.
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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
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Photos used in a previous version of this post.
I followed the instructions to the letter, except for the “Beef Better Than Bouillon”, I substituted “Orrington Farms Broth Base & seasoning”, which is gluten free. Other than that our untraditional Christmas dinner was a great hit with my ex-tended family that visited for the Holiday’s. It was fantastic, it turned out great! Thank you so much for the recipe….I printed out several others that I will be trying in the future. Great web site.
Just wanted to say, I made this on a time crunch last night because I forgot about it in the morning– 4 hours on high, then added the butter/flour and then another 1 hour on high. The meat was just as tender as the 8 hours on low! So so good, a staple for winter.
I have made this twice, really like it, the second time I cut the beef into cubes before searing and seared all sides of the cubes and I felt the meat tasted better with better texture.
I do this as well, mostly because I buy the pre-diced meat from the market labelled for stew lol
For the fourth time I am making this casserole. Some of the vegetables have had to be substituted eg potatoes, onions, by using Aussie vegetables. However, the casserole turned out beautifully. Flavour, texture and aroma is excellent. It has taken me years to find a decent beef casserole and now I have stopped looking. This time around I added red capsicum and brown sugar, just as an experiment and it tested great. The brown sugar helped as I accidentally added a little too much salt. It didn’t detract from the flavour. Thank you for this beautiful recipe. I have now stopped looking for good beef casseroles. We look forward to dinner tonight after the casserole is ready to eat.
Excellent recipe. I add a little red wine for flavor. Also, I cube the meat then brown it as I find it falls apart otherwise.
Do you leave the lid off the last hour it’s thickening?
9am Sunday morning, found recipe & was excited. So it’s on, family have come through saying that looks nice’ so can hardly wait to try it when it’s done. As I’m sure my 97 yr father in law will also.thanks ?
Hi Sabrina. Very excited to make this today! Quick question: After browning the beef in the skillet, it should not be cooked all the way through. Is that correct? Thanks!
I was surprised at the suggestion of 2” chopped carrots and potatoes. Those are pretty big pieces. I’m slow cooking it now – but, worry the veggies won’t be cooked.
I followed the recipe to a “T” and flavor wise it was very good, but after 8 hours in my slow cooker it needed more cooking time and I even turned mine up to High for the last hour after adding the butter/flour combo
I used to have cooking failures too until a bit of research showed it was my fault.
I found that a crock pot or slow cooker needs to be 2/3 to 3/4 full.
Food takes longer to cook if larger amounts are used and trying to make up a too small amount by adding extra liquid not only gives a bland taste but the meat and veg. do not cook properly.
You could try buying a different sized slow cooker or adjust the ingredients to fit your sized cooker. In my case, I make enough of this delicious stew for 10 serves and just freeze the excess in meal sized lots.
This turned out great. The only thing I did differently, is that I mixed the beef broth, tomato paste, garlic, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce together, and then added it to the crock. This is great with some crusty bread!
Can I make this without the worcestershire ? or anything to substitute it ?
Can I add fresh green beans in this stew? If so when do you add them?
Excellent
Love this recipe, very tasty with or without wine and simple as well!
This is our favorite stew! We’ve made it at least ten times. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this at the weekend, it was very tasty
Can this cook on high for 6 hours ?
On high, you probably don’t need it to go that long. I’d say 4-5 hours on high.
I use a cabernet sauvignon whenever I cook this recipe and started wondering if I could make it even better with a different wine, has anyone else experimented to find a better choice? Me and my wife love this recipe so much, thanks guy sharing it, I’ve been making it for almost 2 years now!
I have to cook often for my 90year old father and these recipes are very helpful .Nutritious and easy for me as I have two slow cookers and its getting very cold now so I am sure he will enjoy them
I finally found some one that cooks the way I like food. Thank you Sabrina. HERB
Forgot to thaw my meat can I cook the stew meat from frozen?
No, it’ll release too much liquid and make it soupy. Sorry.
Great recipe— my cattle raising friend gave me a 3 lb 7 bone roast from one of his steers which is basically a chuck roast. Made it exactly to the recipe and it came out great. Made some homemade bread to go with it. I highly recommend the recipe
Sounds like a good friend to have! Thanks for the 5 stars, Brian.
Yikes! I think I just ruined our dinner.. I used red wine vinegar because I misread. I thought it sounded weird but figured I’d try it.. I didn’t use a whole cup, maybe a quarter cup but still?????
If it was just a quarter cup or so of the vinegar, it probably still tasted great! Especially if you consider that the secret behind dishes such as Italian Beef (also on this site) is the vinegar brine (“juice”) that most pepperoncinis are packaged in, or if you take a look at the German Sauerbraten recipe on this site… you might have come up with your own special recipe. 🙂
This turned out great. I was a bit confused on how to mix cold butter with flour but used room temp butter and it seemed to work ok. I also used a whole 6oz can of tomato paste. Putting this in my “keep” folder! Can’t wait to try the leftover’s tomorrow!
Great Recipe, Loved it!
What sides go with this?
We love it with mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
I made this for dinner today for my husband and grandkids. My husband said i outdid myself! He ate two big bowls of it! I personally did not eat it as i am a vegetarian. So i made portobello pot roast in my instant pot. It was like a restaurant in my house with two main dishes being cooked lol!! I will definitely make this again and again! It smelled really good in my house! Thank you for a recipe my husband loved! Do you have any vegetarian recipes? Thanks again!!
I do! Here’s a link to one:
https://dinnerthendessert.com/vegetarian-stuffed-pepper-soup/
You can also use the search bar and find loads of others.
This is maybe a dumb question, but after adding my beef broth and all ingredients, is the liquid supposed to cover the solids (potatoes, meat, etc.) or is it not important if everything is covered in liquid?
No, it won’t be covered completely but the beef will cook down and release more liquid. I find that recipes that cover it, the meal comes out soupy.
Hi Sabrina! I was wondering if beef round cubes would work for this recipe? I have 2 lbs. in my freezer that needs used up. Thanks
Yes, that would work too. Enjoy!
I made this dish exactly as the recipe said, and it turned out amazing. The next time I made it I put my own little twist on it, instead of beef broth/bullion I used vegetable broth. And instead of regular salt and pepper, I used Mrs. Dash no salt Lemon Pepper. The lower sodium content made this already delicious dish even yummier.
It tasted ok with the lemon pepper and beef? Yikes!!!
Great recipe
Am I able to cut the cooking time down in anyway, I didn’t realize the cooking time until after I bought all the ingredients and started putting it together and now if I do 7 hours it will be a really late dinner.
I prefer low and slow but if you’re in a time pinch, you can cook it on high for 4-5 hours.
My husband is a diabetic, so I did a little bit of a change to this recipe. I used vegetable broth instead, and Mrs. Dash no salt lemon pepper. Let me tell you, the lower sodium content made this stew taste even better.
Thanks for the suggestions, Brianna.
I’m happy to add my input anytime. I love your recipes to begin with, so why not try a different twist to it once in a while? It may, or may not, turn out just as good or a little better. It’s all a matter of trial and error.
Can you cook this on high for a shorter amount of time?
I prefer low and slow to get the most tender but you can cook it on high for 4-5 hours if needed. Enjoy!
Can you cook this in cast iron
You can follow this recipe when using a dutch oven:
https://dinnerthendessert.com/classic-beef-stew/
Enjoy!
Tasted great wonderful, recipe, classic and comforting ?
Thanks for the 5 stars, Jennifer.
Best beef stew I ever made! My family loved it, I will definitely use this recipe again.
Thanks for the 5 star rating, Rob.
I added parsnip, cabbage, broccoli, turnip and a strong ale. Wonderful! Had to finish 5 minutes high pressure.
Hi! My slow cooker has low and high setting. Which one would I use?
You’ll want to have this in the slow cooker on low for 7 hours. Add the butter and flour mixture and then cook it an additional hour. Hope this helps clear things up. Enjoy!
Hi! Should I halve the rest of the ingredients for 1.5lbs of chuck beef, or keep the original and perhaps mash some extra potatoes to thicken up the stew?
Either will work, just make sure that your chuck roast doesn’t dry out from overcooking due to it being a smaller size. Good luck!
Hi! Can you use beef stew meat instead of a roast! Does that affect the cooking time? Thanks!! Making today!
It should still work since it’s being slow cooked to be able to be broken down and tender.
Hi love his recipe. What is a serving size??
About 1 cup. Enjoy!
Greetings! This looks delicious!
I’d like to add some mushrooms to this recipe. I’m assuming I can add the raw? At what point do you recommend I put them the slow cooker?
Thanks so much for your help!
I would add them in for the last 2 hours if you can, and yes add them in raw (halved), stir to mix them in.
I found this recipe about a year and a half ago, and it quickly became one of my favorites! Delicious, hearty, and freezes extremely well – a single crock pot makes about 8-10 individual meal prep servings.
I follow the instructions mostly as-is (I the use 1 cup of wine, sear the beef and deglaze the pan; also a little heavy handed with the seasonings as a personal preference), and at the 7 hour mark when I add the butter and flour, use the opportunity to taste-test and tweak as needed. With my most recent batch I added another tbs of Worcester sauce, and salt to taste — with the hour you wait as the stew thickens, plenty of time to dial in exactly to your preference!
Thanks for sharing Sabrina, killer recipe!
You’re welcome, Ryan!
This recipe was amazing for a cold, rainy night! I left out the thyme, will add it next time. I also skipped cooking the onions to save time. I added 3 tbsp melted butter and flour and the stew thickened beautifully! Will make again for sure!
Yummy stew….
I also added turnip, parsnips and frozen peas and carrots
Delicious stew and I will definitely make more.
Mine didn’t thicken at all after the hour mark.
Did you add the butter and flour mixture? That should have thickened it up.
Are you supposed to melt the butter then mix with the flour? I’m not clear on that part. Thanks!
Yes, mix it together and then add it to the slow cooker. It will help to thicken the sauce. Enjoy!
How do I substitute this onto a stove top? My crockpot isnt big enough to handle my family (6people) and while this was absolutely AMAZING it didn’t feed all of us… So I was hoping to make it in The Big Pot to make sure we had plenty. But I don’t want to mess it up, can you help me?
Of course, just after browning the meat and caramelizing the onions, garlic and carrots add the beef back in with the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 hours until meat is tender.Enjoy!
I LOVE this beef stew. Thank you for the tip of browning the beef first… I omitted the thyme. Added a dash of paprika and i was ac successful at thickening by using flour/butter idea. I am hoping that the left overs will be just as good after freezing. How long do you suggest that i can freeze it for?
It can be kept frozen for up to 3 months. So glad you enjoyed it, Cathy.
Is the butter supposed to be melted when mixing it with the flour?
No, you’re making a bit of a paste that when mixed with the sauce from the slow cooker, will help thicken it.
A BIG hit !!! My family loved it!!!
Loved this!!!! Husband isn’t a big onion fan so i just sprinkled some minced onion in, it is easier to hide than chopped onion. Also i couldn’t find bay leaves at my local grocery store so i put just a pinch of dried chopped sweet leaf basil so it wouldn’t over power and added half bag of frozen peas about hour before it was done. So amazing! Husband and I devoured it, only complaint….I should have doubled the recipe!
Not enough is a good problem to have! Easily solved for next time. Thanks for coming back to let me know, Amanda.
How much red wine could be added?
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. Enjoy!
Just the right consistency! I added 6oz of tomato paste & the btb. The thyme overpowered the stew & I only added 1/2 tsp. Next time-just a dash & it will be perfect!
I’ve made this stew a couple times and it’s by far the best stew I’ve ever had! The problem is that it makes a lot more than we need. Will this recipe work if everything is halved?
I’m so glad you enjoy it so much! If you don’t want to freeze the leftovers for later, you can cut the recipe in half though you may need to use a smaller slow cooker (4 qt instead of a 6). You don’t want there to be a lot of “extra” space because it has the tendency to run hot and your cooking time will be greatly reduced. Hope this helps!
Thanks, Sabrina. It never even crossed my mind to freeze the leftovers, since I assumed that the vegetables would be mushy when thawed, but I’ll give it a shot.
Hello, looking forward to making this for a girl’s painting party. But I will need it ready about Noon so I have to make the night before. Any suggestions? Should I slow cook it the day before and then just reheat the next day a couple hours before the gals show up?
I’d either do that or start it very early. Enjoy!
Hi Sabrina,
Happy
Love this recipe. What is the green spice on top of the stew? I was thinking parsley but wanted to make sure.
Thank you.
Connie
Yes, it’s mainly for photos and presentation though.
This is the best stew! I read the reviews and made the following changes~ reduced the thyme by half. Increased the tomato paste to 6 ounces. I used one tablespoon of the beef better than bouillon, as suggested in the recipe. I love pearl onions and put in a dozen. I had a small amount of canned tomatoes in sauce from the meal I made the night before and added that. I thickened the sauce with just fine flour. I am always looking for really good crockpot recipes. This is phenomenal!
Your Ultimate slow cooker beef stew is the best I have tasted. I received so many wows from my family as I served them this Sunday’s dinner. I also made your “copycat recipe” for the Olive Garden salad and dressing. I have to insist that my husband eat at least a small salad anytime I have salad….Just not his favorite accompaniment to meals. He really liked this salad! He commented that the creamy Italian type dressing was much better with the stew than his normal mayo laden dressings. A pan of homemade southern biscuits ( my special recipe) and we are one satisfied family! I followed your recipes exactly and would not change anything. Thumbs up for providing so many delicious recipes and for such easy to follow directions and helpful hints.
Thanks, Jennie.
Is it me or does anyone else find “better than b“ extremely salty. When I started using it, (making it by the directions), every thing I cooked was too salty. So I started using the taste test, paring down the amount of btb to the ratio of water.
I’m so excited, I ordered the super crock pot yesterday. I found one in the amazon warehouse half price, yahoo.
I am cooking your sugar bacon wrapped pork lion today. It will be ready by noon, can I leave it on low in the crock pot until 5 tonight or will it dry out?
I would suggest starting it later in the day so it doesn’t sit on warm for that long. Enjoy!
This recipe is great !! I used one can of beef broth and one can of beef consumme. Added frozen peas, carrots and corn in the last hour. My husband had three bowls and another bowl for lunch the next day.
I’ve made this for my husband several times and he loves it (I don’t eat beef, but he loves a good stew or pot roast). The day after I made it for him last fall, he asked me to make it for his office potluck and it was a hit! I don’t have a large enough slow cooker, so I just simmer it all afternoon on the stove, and it’s tender, tasty and ready by dinnertime. Thank you for the work you do with your recipes!
You’re so welcome, Bonnie. I’m so glad you are all loving the recipes.
Sooooo abundant in flavor! I accidentally bought tough meat with way too much fat and gristle, but 10 hours in the crock pot and it was super tender. The potatoes just absorbed all that flavor and my dinner guests were all blown away and went back for seconds.
Yay!! Thanks for coming back to let me know.
I made the recipe almost exactly but used grass fed chuck (I thought it would be better) . The meat was too tough and chewy. Very disappointed. The vegetables were OK but not fabulous. I left the potatoes with the peel on and they were fine but not delicious. And the sauce was thinner than I expected. I didn’t thicken it with more flour or starch, but probably should have tried that.
Overall, was an easy recipe to make. But it was way too soupy to be a stew. As mentioned above, there was too much thyme as well, even though I cut back on it. The carrots were not soft enough even after cooking for 8 hours. Don’t think I will make this again.
Hello,
So I followed the recipe for the most part lol, only difference is that I pretty much cooked the beef Entirely while browning it in the skillet.. and I used a whole can of diced Tomatoes instead of 1/4 cup of paste. Not to mention, I mixed in the butter and flour right away with all the other ingredients. Will the ruin the outcome??
How did it turn out?
Soooo good. My favorite beef stew that I’ve ever had. It was nice and thick, and so flavorful. I love the addition of the tomato paste to the beef stew.
Hi Sabrina, I just made this recipe yesterday following the recipe almost exactly i just used one full 6oz can of tomato paste and it came out nice and thick without having to add the butter and flour. I brought it for my lunch today and I LOVED and so did my husband! i was just wondering how do you measure the serving size? is it a cup or a ladle? I’m trying to keep my calories in check and i’d really appreciate the information, thank you!
I’m so glad you both loved it! One serving size is equal to one cup.
Tasted okay, but it was more soup-like than a stew.
Followed the recipe to the letter. It was absolutely the BEST stew my wife and I have ever had the pleasure to eat. Most stew recipes look promising, but end up tasting a little flat and bland. Not this one. Full of flavor. It will become a staple recipe in our kitchen. Thank you VERY much!
I’m glad you decided to give it a try, Bob.
Too much thyme! The entire stew ended up tasting like the herb 🙁
I’m going to make this beef stew, and was wondering, do I chop up the bay leaf and the tyme? I’m assuming I do but I’ve never cooked with these herbs before
Use dried thyme and keep the bay leaf intact. I hope you enjoy it!
Recipe calls for a teaspoon of Thyme NOT a tablespoon!!!! Big difference!!!
If stew is too watery or soupy, remove some of the liquid and add more cornstarch or flour to thicken.
Bay Leaf should be removed before you serve the meal.
Tough meats should always be cooked low and slow for longer periods of time to make the meat tender!!!
Hi Katrina, the bay leaves are not meant to be consumed. It just adds to the flavor of the stew. The thyme should be small already, in the jar.
I am going to make this on Saturday. You suggest using better than bouillon. Should I use it for all 4 cups? Or should I use some broth and some better than bouillon? I have never cooked with BTB before. Thank you!
I used it for all 4 cups and even added an additional scoop to intensify the flavor. Hope this helps!
I’m excited to make this receipe but I’m confused bout the btb. Am I using it in place of the broth or in addition to the broth ,adding a scoop ?
I like to add an extra scoop to deepen the flavor. Just a personal preference though.
Just finished a bowl of this stew and it turned out great! I used the Better than Bullion and a small amount of wine. Very flavorful! My family always enjoys the recipes we get from you site.
Thanks for coming back to let me know, Colleen. I appreciate the 5 star rating.
Best beef stew I have ever cooked! Easy and delicious.
I am a total non-cook and as I love all your recipes, this is the first of many questions. In making the stew, do I peel the Yukon potatoes?
I peeled my potatoes, but it’s up to how you like them.
You don’t have to
I made this tonight and I loved it! I used canned Kroger beef broth cause it’s what I had on hand and it turned out wonderful. I also cooked it on high for 3 hours, then added butter/flour. My toddler loved it! I appreciate the earlier comment about how to mix the butter and flour! I didn’t know what to do until I read that!
This will become a keeper.
Bonus: A roast is cheaper than stew meat at our grocery store, so that’s a positive!
Hooray! So glad you loved it! I love this recipe too, we make it often in the winter.
Loved the tip to add the beef better than along with the beef broth. I’ve made it both ways and it’s SO good this way. Also generously salting and peppering the beef beforehand deep browning is very helpful. This has been in regular rotation as a treat since the first time we tried it!
YES! Isn’t it just so flavorful? I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed it so much!
If I’m going to be gone all day at work, can I leave this recipe in the crock pot on simmer or low for 10 hours or would that dry it out?
I would suggest getting a slow cooker that automatically turns to a warm setting once the programmed cook time is complete. I would be afraid it would dry out on low for that long, sorry.
If I wanted to make this on the stovetop how long should I cook it for?
You are going to want to cook it for 3 hours.
Here is a link to my stovetop Beef Stew: https://dinnerthendessert.com/classic-beef-stew/
Disregard the oven part – that was a typo on the recipe card that I can’t remove. The rest of the recipe gives step by step to cook Classic Beef Stew on the stovetop. Hope this helps!
Made this tonight for dinner. It was delicious and very flavorful!!! It will definitely be my go to stew recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Definitely could use more seasoning, pretty bland recipe.
So sorry to hear it wasn’t to your taste! Definitely feel free to add more spice if you make it again. Personally I add an extra spoon of Better than Bouillon but I love that beef taste 🙂
Question—can I double the recipe in one crockpot?
As long as your crockpot is big enough, yes. You can adjust the servings size by hovering over the serving amount a slider will appear.
Can you add wine to this? Also, if using better than bouillon, how much & how much liquid?
If you are using BTB, you want to add 4 tbsp to 4 cups of warm water to equal the broth amount. If you add wine, I would substitute some of the broth for it so it doesn’t get too liquidy.
Hi Sabrina, can I add some frozen green beans to this? I’ve done this before to this amazing stew but can’t recall if I added them in the last hour or not. Thank you!
Certainly. I would add in during the last hour so they don’t get to mushy. You can also defrost and drain beforehand and put them in long enough to heat up so they don’t make the stew too watery.
I am making this for dinner tonight however i don’t have any paste or beef bouillion on hand but i have a beef stew seasoning packet so I’m going to use that with the scraping the brown pan drippings & hope for the best. Whats your opinion on this??
Sounds like it will be a great sub in a pinch. It won’t bring all the flavor but it should be great with the pan drippings added. Let me know how it turned out!
Could I make this with venison instead of beef?
I haven’t cooked with venison but I’m sure it can be adapted. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!
My family, including three kids, love this recipe- I use venison every time it’s delicious! Thanks for the recipe
I made this stew for our weekly Sunday dinner yesterday. It was a HUGE HIT! My husband even had 3 bowls of it! I served it with toasted sourdough bread. I will definitely be making it again soon! Thank you for sharing your delicious recipe with us! ????
So glad it was such a hit! Thank you for coming back and letting me know!
Do I mix the butter and flour dry? Do I melt the better and whisk in the flour? Do I make a Rue?
You just mix it dry and add to the slow cooker. Hope this helps!
How long if using an insta pot ?
I would use the cooking instruction for Instant Pot that are in my post for Philly Cheesesteak Beef Stew. Hope this helps and I would love to hear how it turns out!
I love this recipe so much! We’ve had it 3 times in the last 2 weeks it’s so good! I normally cook it for the 7-8 hours on low, but today I didn’t have the time to wait that long. Trying 3-4 hours on high and praying it goes well
Wow! It sounds like you like it as much as our family does! I hope it turned out well in that cooking time. I would do closer to 5 hours next time to make sure it’s super tender but let me know if it worked!
Can I cook on high for half the time??
Yes, it may be a bit over half the time but around 5 hours should do it!
I tried this recipe this evening on high for 5 hours and unfortunately the veggies were underdone and the meat was super tough – such a bummer! I can tell that the flavor is there and it would’ve been great if I did it on low as instructed. Warning others not to try the quick way!
When I brown the meat, a lot of juice forms. Do I pour that into the crockpot?
Sure 🙂
I found this to be very bland. I added lots of salt pepper garlic wine and rosemary. i wouldn’t make it again.
Sorry to hear it wasn’t to your taste! You can always go heavier handed on the spices or add a heaping spoon of Better than Bouillon (my personal fave) if you change your mind and try it again.
This stew is insane! This is the best beef stew recipe! I made this for my wife and mother-in-law and they both loved it too. My wife literally had to take it away from me, because I couldn’t stop eating it. I made the recipe exactly as written and included a spoonful of Better-Than-Bullion as recommended. Will definitely make it again.
That is so kind, thank you so much for this review. It made my day! Glad you and your family enjoyed!
I did not see the size of crockpot used.
If you click on the link for Slow cooker above the recipe, you can see the one I use. It’s 6 quarts. Hope this helps!
I’m on a time crunch so I’m cooking it for 6hrs on high. Do you think that will be okay? I don’t want it to be tough… And can I use water and cornstarch instead of the flour and butter to thicken it quicker since I don’t have an extra hour?
That should be fine for cook time. I would check it at 5 hours just to be sure and then you could add the flour/butter at that time for the final hour. Using cornstarch slurry is also ok 🙂 Let me know how it turns out!
The flavor is fabulous. Best beef stew I have ever made. I’m anxious to try more of your recipes.
I’m so glad you enjoyed! Let me know how other recipes turn out for you!
This was absolutely amazing!!! The only questions I have is how big is the serving size? 1 cup? 2 cup? Just trying to figure it out for meal plan tracking.
My servings are a little more than a cup. Hope this helps.
Does anyone know if this will work in a 4qt crock pot
This recipe is fantastic! I’ll definitely make it again. I had to do 1 substitution as my husband used the last of the tomato paste & I didn’t realuze til the cooking had begun. I took a 15 ounce can of crushed tomatoes and added them to the onions & cooked them down to almost a paste, then added to the slow cooker & followed the rest of the recipe as written. The beef flavor is deep, the seasoning is balanced & the meat & veggies are perfectly tender. For sure a keeper!
So what’s a big scoop of the Better than Beef bouillon…a heaping Tablespoon??
Making tomorrow and needed clarification!
Thanks!
I use a big heaping tablespoon since this calls for 4 cups beef broth (1 tsp BTBB:1c broth). But sometimes (most times) I add an extra scoop because I love that deep rich beef flavor it gives! Enjoy and let me know how it turns out!!
I would like to make this stew today but still need more clarification on this beef broth. In order to get 4 cups of beef broth what are you using if you are not just using broth. Is it 1 beef bouillon cube plus 4 cups of water mixed together? And then is this a heaping tablespoon of powder mixture you are adding for extra flavor or another beef cube?
I use Better than Bouillon mixed with water per the instructions. You can always add more bouillon if you want more flavor (I certainly do!)
So instead of the beef broth you use the bouillon mixed with water correct?
Correct – and I always do heaping spoonfuls 🙂
Made this tonight. Couldn’t wait until Fall to try it. Turned out perfect. I made no changes to the original recipe. I did do the better than bouillon trick and I think it really helped. My crock pot has a stove top option, so I was able to do everything just right in it. Meat was super tender. Everything was just so yummy! Highly recommend and will make again!
Yay!! Thanks for coming back to let me know! I appreciate the 5 star rating.
I have this cooking now. Smells delightful! I declined adding the Devil’s Root (onions) and compensated with more golden Yukon potatoes and a bit more bullion.
Glad you were able to customize it to your liking. Thanks for the 5 stars.
Hi I am looking for a good stew that works in my 5.5L Crockpot. I have tried a couple of them and it.lloks I do not get a good stew. I have tried this one and cooking for 7 hr in low, has not really work. All the veggies and need are not tender. I am going to give it 4 he more, as I have a o leave the house and try to have it ready for when I am back. Hope it works, because it smells and look good
My daughter helped me cook this, she said it smelled delicious ! ? going to bed now , yummy good awaits us tomorrow! ?
Lots of typos, Momma is tired Lol yummy good food * ?
Sabrina this recipe is absolutely amazing and now a go to meal for me. So glad I came across it.
I’m so glad you love it so much, Chris.
This is very good in the crockpot and I did fry up the roast first but I will not fry up the onions again because they fell apart. I added extra garlic cloves, rosemary, a bayleaf, fresh green beans, spinach & Saracha sauce. I thickened it up by using its own broth and mixing it with cornstarch. My favorite beef stew! Thank you!
Hello, does the butter need to be melted and then the flour mixed in? Or just mix the butter and flour?
No need to melt it, just mash it into the flour and add it. Enjoy!
It was so delicious my husband and I ate it for 2 days in a row!!
Definitely sounds like a winner!
Would I be able to make this in a Dutch oven? If so, what time and temperature? Thanks!
Yes, cook at 325 degrees for 3 hours. Enjoy!
If I scale the servings to 2, do I adjust the cooking time?
I would err of the side of caution and check it around the 5-6 hour mark but make sure you’re using a smaller slow cooker so the heat distributes properly. Make sure the slow cooker is half to three quarters full. Hope this helps.
Made this stew the other day…it was delicious! The meat was super tender, the broth/gravy was so flavorful, and the vegetables were cooked perfectly…not too mushy from cooking for hours. This will be my go-to recipe from now on. Thank you, Sabrina, for all your wonderful recipes!
This recipe is DELISH! The flavors were wonderful. I added an extra scoop of beef flavor like the suggestion. Only modification I used was I bought beef cubes and coated them with flour and fried them on each side. I was so excited to try this because it smelled so great in the slow cooker all day. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
i usually make beef stew on top of the stove. i looked for some crockpot recipes last week, and yours looked the best. i made it today, eating it now. SO FREAKING DELICIOUS ????. ty!
ps, i added some frozen peas the last half hour of cooking ?
You are so kind! Thank you for the amazing review! The frozen peas at the end sounds awesome too! I do that in a similar slow cooker recipe for Vegetable Beef Soup. If you like this one, try that soup too, it is one of my favorites! https://dinnerthendessert.com/slow-cooker-vegetable-beef-soup/
Loved it! I didn’t add tomato paste, just 1/4 cup of red wine simmered and reduced in the original seared pan.
That sounds so delicious! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for the review. 🙂
I have made beef stew multiple times and this has to be hands down the very best recipe I have ever tasted!!!
I tried this and on low for 4 hours, the potatoes and carrots were not cooked. I suggest on high for most of the time instead. Needless to say, dinner wasn’t ready at 6:30 when I got home.
If I read correctly, the directions said cook for 8 hours on low. Actually, it was 7 hours on low, then add the butter and the flour and cook maybe another hour more or until thickened. Maybe try it again with that and see how it does. I don’t like eating a late dinner either!
This is just the best beef stew EVER!! My husband tells our friends ‘no one makes better beef stew than my wife’. No kidding.
Found this recipe this morning and plan on making this coming weekend. Seems like cutting the meat in 2-3inch pieces seems awfully large. If I cut into small bit size pieces should I shorten the cooking time?
You could always check it around 6 hours in for doneness. I hope you enjoy it!
So I cooked this last night on low for atleast 7 hours. This morning my potatoes and beef just seemed under cooked…What else can I do??
Oh no, it sounds like maybe your slow cooker doesn’t run as hot as it should. I would just give it more time, maybe another hour or so.
I cant cook to save my life …I just made this and it came out amazing….so easy and delicious…thanks for sharing …added the red wine… ?
Yay, I’m so glad you decided to give it a try. Thanks for the 5 stars, Denise!
I made this recipe last night and it was delicious. I added a few parsnips and some frozen corn at the end -needed no thickening which was a plus. This is my new favorite stew recipe, beautiful and delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Hi Sabrina,
I will be honest I make a great beef stew already with red wine blah, blah, blah but I just happened to see your recipe and decided to try it. It came out amazing!!!!! Thank you for such a simple but delicious Sunday Dinner.
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it!
This stew is hearty and delicious! I would definitely make it again!
Is it safe to cook on high for half the time instead? I started mine mid afternoon so I don’t have 8 hours
It might still need around 4-5 hours on high. I just prefer low an slow because I feel like the meat is more tender. Enjoy!
Can I cook it in crock pot on high I’m on a time crunch? And if so how many hours on High?
Yes, 3-4 hours on high will work. I just prefer low and slow. Enjoy!
I was really excited to try this recipe and followed it exactly to a T but the beef tasted totally overcooked and chewy, even though I made sure each side had a crust but wasn’t cooked all the way through. Also the flavor didn’t taste quite right. This may be a fault of my own but I really don’t understand how. Disappointed
Oh no, I’m so sorry that happened. If you followed it to a t, I’m not sure why the taste would be off. If it was overcooked, it sounds like maybe your slow cooker might run hot. If you decide to try again, check it sooner to ensure that doesn’t happen again. Hope this helps!
Hi!
Do I just add a scoop or two of the better than beef boullion to the beef broth? Or is this totally in place of the broth?
Thanks!
I use the better than boullion to make the broth and then add an extra scoop or two for a bolder flavor. Hope this helps! Enjoy!
Thanks for sharing your awesome recipe I made it to today it was very great
I made a full crockpot full the wife said it was awesome thanks again
You’re welcome!
Hello! Do you soften or melt the butter before mixing it with the flour for the last step?
No, just mash it together and add it to the slow cooker. Enjoy!
Made this last night for dinner. I’ve made more than many over the years.. DING DING—WINNER— this one is by far the best flavorful one ever!! Followed all your **sidenotes** and added celery …. excellent ???
Thanks so much, Diana! I appreciate you taking the time to come back and let me know how much you enjoy it!
I’m sorry for my bad review earlier!! For some reason it was really chewy within the first few hours but after letting it took for a while longer it became extremely tender and delicious! I will make this again 🙂
So glad you decided to give it a bit more time. 🙂
Sabrina,
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes. Totally 5 star restaurant quality. Actually, I’m not even sure I could get this taste duplicated in a restaurant. I am a beef stew lover and this is definitely a home run.
I did a couple little substitutions. I didn’t have any thyme or bay leafs, so I left them out. I replaced 1/2 a cup of the broth with red wine which I used to deglaze the fry pan. The beef was Costco precut stewing beef. The broth was made with Better then Bullion. The potatoes were mini creamer potatoes, non peeled. The carrots were straight out of the garden. Mmmmmm. For the last 1/2 hour of cooking, I mixed the butter and flour with 1/8 cup of balsamic vinegar and a dash of olive oil and stirred that into the stew. Wow, this stew has pizazz. I may have used just a hair to much vinegar as some of the beef chunks were not quite as solid as before the addition. Next time I will half the balsamic. The gravy came out perfect, thick and tasty. The carrots and potatoes also perfect. Texture perfect. The meat was unbelievably tender.
Sincerely, I can’t thank you enough for the time and effort you have put into sharing your recipes. How generous of you.
Brad
Thank you for the amazing review, Brad. I’m glad you enjoyed it so much.
Looks so delicious I will try this tonight for our dinner….
Great stew! I especially liked cooking the Guinness Stew in my Dutch Oven @ 325 Deg F for 3 hrs. The meat was tender and the stew was perfect consistency!
Very good beef stew recipe
Made this today. Followed recipe exactly ( except i bought stew meet already cut and didnt sear first)and was delicious. My whole family agrees……this recipe is a keeper!!!
I would like to receive how to cook beef stews fish stews shrimp stew L kinda of food thanks
I have this currently in my crockpot (smells amaaaazing) and its been nearly 6 hours. I’m getting hungry lol
i feel stupid for asking, but should i melt the butter then add the flour or add the flour to room temp butter or does it matter?
i’m probably gonna melt it i guess for ease. kinda like a rue i suppose.
i think i’m gonna add the butter/flour mix and let it go another hour for a collective 7 hours instead of 8. i was planning a late dinner but that was before my stomach started growling lol
You’ll just mash the butter and flour together and add it to the slow cooker, no need to melt it. I hope you enjoyed it!
I made this today and even though supper isn’t for a few hours, I tried some….it is absolutely delicious! The only thing I didn’t have was Worcestershire sauce, but I don’t think it made any difference! It has great flavor and the meat is for tender!! I can’t wait to serve up a bowl of this stew for myself!!
This is one of the best beef stew recipes I have tried. I used 2 pounds of beef stew meat, just because it saves me time to buy it that way, and 8 small red potatoes, cooked for 10 hours on low, then added the butter/flour mixture and cooked another hour. Served over biscuits for an awesome dinner!
Thank you so much, Deb! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Making this right now, it’s been cooking all day just waiting for it to thicken up a bit (the last step). My house smells AMAZING and we can’t wait to eat! PS, I did taste a spoonful before I put the thickner in. So Good!
Thanks, Christon!
I followed this recipe exactly and it was amazing! I loved it and so did my family. I will definitely be checking out your other recipes (especially the slow cooker ones). Thanks!
You’re welcome, Sunny! Thanks for the 5 stars.
I’m going to make this today. Did you use a chuck pot roast or a chuck tender roast? Would either one work?
Either one will work fine. Enjoy!
I am excited to make this! Would there be any complications with adding 8oz or more of sliced Crimini mushrooms?
Nope, sounds delicious!
I’m cooking it right now! Thanks for sharing the recipe and I did it with the “suggestion” of the red wine.
I forgot the bay leaf, but even without it the recipe was so so so good! It made 6-7 servings.
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!