Slow Cooker Beef Stew

A crock pot with stew inside of it and a silver label with some in it.

This hearty, thick, and flavorful Slow Cooker Beef Stew is the best comfort food for a delicious family dinner. Made with chunks of tender beef, red potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, corn, and peas in a thick tomato based beef broth that tis perfectly seasoned with Worcestershire sauce and dried seasonings.

Course Dinner, Main Course, Stew

Cuisine American

Keyword beef stew recipe, slow cooker beef stew

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 10

Total Time 10 25

Servings

Calories 223kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Ingredients

1 lb lean beef stew meat
2 red potatoes cut into large chunks
2 carrots peeled & sliced thick
2 celery stalks sliced
1 sweet Vidalia onion finely minced
2 cloves garlic
1 can (14.5 oz) beef broth
1½ cups V8 Vegetable Juice
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Ingredients To Add Later

1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen corn
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

Combine stew meat, potatoes, carrots, celery, sweet onion, garlic, beef broth, V8 juice, water and seasonings into the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.
* Low & Slow is best for stew. I recommend cooking for 10 hours.
At 1 hour left to cook, add in the frozen corn and peas. Mix together the cornstarch and cold water with a fork in a small bowl and add to the slow cooker.
Stir everything together, cover with the lid, and let cook the remaining 1 hour.
* If you are not home and can't add the stuff 1 hour before the cook time is done. Simply add the other ingredients after the cook time is over, cover with the lid, and let it cook for about 30 minutes to help thicken the stew up and soften the frozen vegetables.

Notes

Beef Stew Meat : I prefer using the lean cut beef stew meat but any chopped beef stew meat can be used. You probably won't find a package of stew meat that is exactly 1 pound, so get one that is between 1 lb and 1 1/2 lbs.

V8 : No substitutes for this one! 1.5 cups is equal to 1 can of V8 juice.

Beef Broth : Beef stock can be used if wanted and I recommend using full-salted beef broth so it can hold up to the longer cook time. The slow cooker tends to mute flavors over time, which is why full salted beef broth is preferred.

Vegetables : Don't chop these too small. It's a long cook time so keep the chunks larger so they don't soften to mush during the cook time. You can peel the skin off of the potatoes or leave it on. I will sometime use baby red potatoes and chop them in half. Red potatoes are preferred but you can also use Yukon gold potatoes. I do not recommend using russet potatoes as they are bland on their own and they don't hold up as well to the cook time (they tend to get softer and mushy the longer they're cooked).

Low & Slow : This is best when cooking beef stew in the slow cooker. Don't try to rush this cook time by turning it on high and cooking for half the time. It won't be as good! Plan ahead and put the stew into the slow cooker in the early morning and let it cook all day for 10 hours (for best results with tender fall apart beef).

Nutrition