Description
This Slow Cooker Beef Stew features tender chunks of beef, hearty vegetables, and rich flavors developed through slow cooking. With layers of seasoning, red wine, and a velvety finish from butter, this comforting stew is perfect for a warm, satisfying meal any day of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Seasonings
- 2 ½ pounds stew meat, trimmed of large fat pieces
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ¼ cup flour
Cooking Fats
- 3-6 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons cold butter, divided
Aromatics and Liquids
- 2 cups yellow onions, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup cabernet sauvignon or merlot wine
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
Vegetables and Herbs
- 5 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 lb baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved or quartered
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 cup frozen peas
Thickening and Finishing (Optional)
- ¼ cup cold water + 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 2-3 drops Gravy Master
Instructions
- Prepare the Meat: Cut the stew meat into 1-inch cubes and discard any large pieces of fat, keeping fat marbled within the meat. Sprinkle the meat evenly with black pepper, garlic salt, and celery salt. Toss to coat and then dust with flour, tossing again to cover all pieces.
- Brown the Meat: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, brown the meat cubes on each side for about 45 seconds. Add more oil as necessary. Transfer browned meat to the slow cooker.
- Sauté Aromatics: Reduce skillet heat to medium and melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add diced onions and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour a splash of wine into the skillet and use a silicone spatula to scrape up all browned bits from the bottom — this adds great flavor. Transfer this onion and garlic mixture into the slow cooker over the browned meat.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: To the slow cooker, add beef broth, bouillon cubes, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, rosemary, and any remaining oil and butter. Do not add peas or the corn starch mixture yet.
- Slow Cook the Stew: Cook on low heat for 7½ to 8 hours or on high for 3½ to 4 hours, until vegetables are tender and potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
- Finish Cooking with Peas: Add frozen peas to the slow cooker during the last 15 minutes of cooking so they retain some texture and color. Remove bay leaves and rosemary stem after cooking.
- Optional Thickening: If a thicker stew is desired, mix ¼ cup cold water with 3 tablespoons corn starch until smooth. Slowly stir the mixture into the hot stew, allowing it to thicken as it stands.
- Final Butter Finish: Turn off heat and swirl in 2 tablespoons of cold butter to enrich the stew and create a velvety texture. This technique is known as Monter au Beurre.
- Optional Color Enhancement: For a richer, darker color, add 2-3 drops of Gravy Master at the end and stir gently.
Notes
- Use cabernet sauvignon or merlot for best flavor, but any dry red wine will work.
- Trim excess fat from meat but retain marbling for tenderness.
- Brown meat in batches; overcrowding prevents proper browning.
- Deglazing with wine adds depth to the stew’s flavor.
- Adding peas late preserves their bright color and slight crunch.
- Monter au Beurre technique (adding cold butter at the end) adds richness and helps emulsify the stew.
- Gravy Master is optional but improves color and depth when added.
- The stew thickens naturally but can be thickened further with corn starch slurry if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
