Crockpot Beef Stew is the perfect easy comfort dish to enjoy when it is cold outside. It is full of delicious meat, hearty vegetables and is super simple to make. Enjoy a nice hot bowl of crockpot beef stew after a busy day that requires hardly any prep work.

Crockpot Beef Stew

There is nothing better than a hot bowl of beef stew on the coldest nights. I love the tender pieces of meat, mixed with potatoes and carrots that are sitting in a rich delicious broth. This slow cooker beef stew is full of so much flavor. It is the perfect meal to enjoy after a busy day of work or with the entire family gathered around the table on the weekend. This is one of those recipes that you will find yourself pulling out when the weather gets cold every signal year. Pair this with cornbread muffins so that you can use them to soak up all the nice hearty broth.

How to make Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker

Heat oil in a large pan. Mix flour, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Season beef with flour mixture, then add beef and cook over medium-high heat until beef is browned and seared, working in batches as necessary. Remove meat. In the same pan, add in onions and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Put beef and onions into a 6 to 8-quart slow cooker.

Place carrots and potatoes in the slow cooker. Pour the 4 cups of water over the meat (adding more water if necessary to be sure the meat and veggies are mostly covered). Stir in bouillon, thyme and oregano until well combined. Add in bay leaves.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. Until beef and vegetables are tender.

Remove bay leaves, salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with parsley, if desired.

Tips Tricks and FAQs

To make slow cooker beef stew even easier you can use canned white potatoes, frozen carrots, frozen chopped onion and substitute beef broth for water and bouillon. You can also use frozen stew meat, it will just take longer to brown.
Don’t be afraid to add in extra vegetables. Try adding in 2 stalks of celery, sliced along with the potatoes and carrots. Add ½ cup frozen peas or 1 cup frozen green beans or mixed vegetables.

Storage

You will want to store your leftover beef stew in the fridge in an airtight container. This will last up to 4 days.

Can I freeze beef stew?

Beef stew is a great meal to prepare ahead of time. You can easily freeze all your ingredients in a freezer-safe bag and then pull them out when you are ready to make it. Just be sure to let your meat cool after browning it before adding it in with all the other ingredients.

You can also store your leftovers in the freezer. Let them completely cool and then store them in an airtight freezer-safe container. Be sure to leave at least an inch of room at the top to account for expansion. This will store for up to 3 months.

When you are ready to enjoy it again, pull it out of the freezer the night before and place it in the fridge. You can warm them back up in the crockpot, on the stove, or in the microwave.

Do I have to brown the beef prior to adding it to the stew?

You can add the meat straight into the stew if you prefer, but browning it adds another layer of flavor. Not only that, but the beef coated in flour helps thicken the stew as it cooks.

The meat can be added straight to the slow cooker, but browning it gives the beef and stew more flavor. Coating the beef with flour also helps thicken the stew broth while cooking.

How can I make this gluten free beef stew?

Yes, you can adapt this slow cooker beef stew to be gluten-free. To make gluten-free stew, substitute the flour and water mixture with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and water.

Crockpot Beef Stew

Name: Crockpot Beef Stew
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 20 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 ½ pounds stew beef, cubed (chuck or round); ¼ cup flour; 1 teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 1 medium or large onion, diced; 4 cups water; 4 beef bouillon cubes or 4 teaspoons bouillon powder; 3-4 carrots, sliced or 2 cups baby carrots; 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes (I like Yukon gold); 1 teaspoon thyme; ¼ teaspoon oregano; 2 bay leaves; Salt & pepper to taste

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes

Slow Cooker Beef Stew is the perfect easy comfort dish to enjoy when it is cold outside. It is full of delicious meat, hearty vegetables and is super simple to make. Enjoy a nice hot bowl of slow cooker beef stew after a busy day that requires hardly any prep work.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 ½ pounds stew beef, cubed (chuck or round)
¼ cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 medium or large onion, diced
4 cups water
4 beef bouillon cubes or 4 teaspoons bouillon powder
3-4 carrots, sliced or 2 cups baby carrots
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes (I like Yukon gold)
1 teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon oregano
2 bay leaves
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pan. Mix flour, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Season beef with flour mixture, then add beef and cook over medium-high heat until beef is browned and seared, working in batches as necessary. Remove meat. In the same pan, add onions and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Put beef and onions into a 6 to 8-quart slow cooker.
Place carrots and potatoes in the slow cooker. Pour the 4 cups of water over the meat (adding more water if necessary to be sure the meat and veggies are mostly covered). Stir in bouillon, thyme, and oregano until well combined. Add in bay leaves.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. Until beef and vegetables are tender.
Remove bay leaves, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with parsley, if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 621Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 169mgSodium: 1807mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 7gSugar: 8gProtein: 61g

Crockpot Beef Stew