This crock pot beef stew has tender chunks of beef with rich hearty sauce and vegetables. It is one of the best beef stews you can make at home and will be a dinner or weekend favorite.
Introduction and My Rating
I love beef. I like pork and chicken, but I LOVE beef the most. Too much Iowa in me, I guess. Cool weather is coming, so it's a very good time for an easy slow cooker beef stew.
This is a small crock pot version of beef stew. I started with a Cooks Country recipe (subscription required), but I think it is unrecognizable now. It would feed a large army. I wanted only the small army size, please.
Also, lots of fuss as usual from Cooks Illustrated has been removed along with some other adjustments.
I keep a little fuss at the beginning that I thought would enhance the taste with browning the meat and onion, but I used the time to cut the other veggies so really minimal extra time, just one dirty pan.
You could probably skip this extra work of browning and just dump the ingredients in, but I think the taste was great and worth the little extra work.
My Rating
An easy 5. We loved it with seconds all around.
🐖The Beef
I like to use a well-marbleized chuck roast for this recipe, but many other cuts of beef will work fine. When doing a double recipe where I need about 3-4 pounds of meat, I usually do the chuck roast. But for a single recipe needing only 1 ½-2 pounds, I will cheat and use precut stew meat.
I do like to brown the trimmed meat before going into the crock pot. That will add some nice extra flavor, but you can skip that step if you want.
📋Ingredients
The thyme has been made optional, and in our house, it just is not done. My wife does not like it in this recipe, and I tend to agree. Cooks Country seems to love it, so the choice is yours.
I added the garlic. A personal taste at our home.
Any potatoes will do but if you use russet potatoes, peel first. The potatoes should be cut into 1-inch or slightly smaller size.
Feel free to use the vegetables you enjoy in your stew.
✔️Tips
Crock Pot Size
As written, this makes about 2 quarts of stew. That will nicely fit in a 3-quart crock pot since crock pots should not be filled over 75% full.
A double recipe, which is what we usually make, needs a 6-quart or bigger crock pot.
Time
On low, this takes 8 hours and on high 4-5 hours. Some beef may take a bit longer, so check the beef for tenderness and extend the time a bit if needed ( not commonly needed.)
It is fine in the crock pot on "keep warm" setting for an hour or a bit more if needed for your timing.
Thickening in A Crock Pot
Tapioca is used to thicken this recipe. I think that is an excellent choice since it can be added at the beginning of cooking. Another plus is reheating, where it is fine.
Cornstarch reheated liquids are gel-like and gross. Using a roux with flour is just fussier then it needs to be.
Storage
Leftovers are good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Or in a freezer, 2-3 months and longer in a deep freezer.
📖Crock Pot Stew/Soup Recipes
Easy Crock Pot French Onion Soup
Crock Pot Ham Bone and Bean Soup
Extra Thick Crock Pot Cheeseburger Soup
Crock Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup
🖼️Instructions
Note: all images are for a double recipe. Instructions and ingredients are for a single recipe.
Start by trimming about 1 ½ to 2 pounds of boneless chuck roast or use stew meat if you are lazy. Give it a light dusting of flour and place in hot oil over medium-high heat in the large nonstick pan—Brown for about 7-8 minutes. Move the meat to crock pot but keep any liquid in the pan.
While browning meat, peel 2 carrots and cut into ½ inch thick medallions. Scrub ½ pound of red potatoes and cut into chunks. Other potatoes could be used but if using russet potatoes, peel also.
Dice 1 medium onion. Crush or mince 2 cloves of garlic. Add onion, 3 oz. tomato paste, and ¼ tsp salt into the hot pan. Cook until onions are soft and lightly browned. Add the garlic for the last minute.
When the onion is ready, add 1 cup of beef broth to the pan and scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add all ingredients except the peas in the crock pot, stir well. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Add the frozen peas for the last hour of cooking.
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📖 Recipe
Crock Pot Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 1 ½-2 lbs boneless beef chuck-eye roast - trimmed and cut into 1 inch chunks
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 onion - diced
- 2 cloves garlic - minced or pressed
- 3 oz tomato paste
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- ½ lb red potatoes - cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 carrots - peeled cut into ½ inch medallions
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoons Minute tapioca
- 1 bay leaves - Optional
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme - Optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cups frozen peas
Instructions
- Start by trimming about 1 ½ to 2 pounds of boneless chuck roast or use stew meat if you are lazy. Give it a light dusting of flour and place in hot oil over medium-high heat in the large nonstick pan. Brown for about 7-8 minutes. Move the meat to crock pot but keep any liquid in the pan.
- While browning meat, peel 2 carrots and cut into ½ inch thick medallions. Scrub ½ pound of red potatoes and cut into chunks. Other potatoes could be used but if using russet potatoes, peel also.
- Dice 1 medium onion. Crush or mince 2 cloves of garlic. Add onion, 3 oz. tomato paste, and ¼ tsp salt into the hot pan. Cook until onions are soft and lightly browned. Add the garlic for the last minute.
- When the onion is ready, add 1 cup of beef broth to the pan and scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add all ingredients except the peas in the crock pot, stir well. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Add the frozen peas for the last hour of cooking.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Images are for a double batch.
- This makes about 2 quarts as written and will fit a 3-quart crock pot. I recommend a double recipe and then use a 6 quart or bigger crock pot.
- I prefer to cut and trim a chuck roast for this, but store stew beef will work fine.
- If you're in a hurry, skip the whole browning skillet steps. Just dump it in, and it will be great.
- Check for beef tenderness before stopping cooking. Some beef may take a bit longer.
- Leftovers are good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or 2-3 months in a freezer.
- Nutrition is calculated on a large serving size of about 2 cups.
Nutrition
Publisher Note: Originally published March 5, 2011. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation. Also, the technique has updated a small amount to current my practice.
Sara
howdy all, Dr Dan, just to clarify, are you browning the whole piece of beef first, and then cutting it up ? or could it be cut up first, dusted with flour and then tossed in the pan and browned?
Fall has begun here in Upstate NY, will probably try this recipe next week !!!
Sara
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Sara,
You don't have to brown but it adds some taste. I suggest, trim and cut up first, then flour, then brown. The flour helps browning and also will add some thickening later during cooking.
Dan
Megan Roesch
Hi, I am going to make your recipe for Beef Stew today. What size crockpot should I use?
Thank You for sharing your recipe.
DrDan
Hi Megan,
Welcome to the blog.
Anything under 5 qt will be too full. I use a 6.5 qt. If cut it half, 3 qt. is a good minimum.
Dan
Alexis
Is the only liquid besides the soy sauce 14 oz beef broth? Does that end up being enough?
DrDan
Hi Alexis,
Welcome to the blog.
Yep, it is a stew so thick. Fluid does come out of some of the components. If it is too thick for you, add some more broth.
Dan
Dea
Well once again, another winner of a recipe from you!!! Made this today and I was salivating the entire day, the house smelled soo good! The stew tasted as good if not better than it smelled!! It was husband approved which is important and we have plenty of leftovers to look forward to later in the week! This has got to be the most flavorful stew I've ever made... it's definitely a keeper! Thank you once again!
DrDan
Hi Dea,
Welcome to the blog.
This is a recipe I only do a few times per year and always say I'm going to do it more. It is also on my conversion to pressure cooker list (if that ever happens).
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Thomas
Sounds good, and pretty easy. Your directions (both in the post and in the recipe) say to add 6 oz. of tomato paste, but the ingredient list only has 3 oz. Can you let me know which is correct?
DrDan
Hi Thomas,
Welcome to the blog.
The model recipe used 6 oz, which is a full can, but is a bigger recipe. I have done this recipe 25-30 times and now use 6 oz. for this size of recipe. When I re-edited the post last winter, I made it 6 oz and missed the one spot.
Sorry for the error. The increase in the tomato paste enhances the deep beefy taste.
Dan
Michele
This recipe is super easy and tasty! Thank you for posting the least intimidating beef stew recipe on the internet. I will definitely try the thyme next time, just to see if I'm missing anything.
DrDan
Hi Michele,
Thanks for the note. I do like relatively simple cooking.
Dan
Judy Uhl
Do you peel your potatoes or leave the skin on?
DrDan
Usually on. Also I have started to coat the cubes of meat with flour and brown that either before or after the onion part then do the rest of the recipe as stated.
Jack B
Hi Dr. Dan,
Have you tried this in an electric pressure cooker? If so, how long did you cook it for?
Thanks!
DrDan
Don't have one so I haven't tried it. I still remember the great pressure cooker explosion my mother had from years ago.
Bill Schick
What is a serving size? 1 cup? 1/2 cup?
DrDan
A little over a cup.
Darlene
Would you have a recipe for dumplings to go with the stew? I'm not sure if they would be doable in a crock pot.
Susan
Sure did love this beef stew. It had been too long, and I had never used the crock pot! Just for fun, sometime, steam some frozen Brussels sprouts till ready to eat and add with/or instead of the peas. It's a family favorite around here and the only way SOME people will eat Brussels sprouts (I cut them in half BTW). Kind of like adding cabbage to veg. soup. Cheers!
Jill
When did you brown the meat? Before the onions?
DrDan
In the recipe and at ATK the meat is not browned. However I now usually brown the meat after the onion. I remove the onion then add the meat to get some nice searing then deglaze. Not really necessary but I think a little more taste.
Lamia
Can you sub cornstarch for the tapioca? And if so, how much do you recommend? Thanks!
DrDan
Yes and no... The corn starch thickens nicely BUT it tends to break down with ongoing cooking and does not reheat well. So yes if you do it at the end and eat the whole thing. Not good otherwise. I have no luck with flour and crock pots at the end of cooking but here I brown the meat so coating with flour prior to the browning is also an option. Potato flakes are another possibility.
DrDan
Backi
I'm not sure where the tapioca goes? I'm a novice :)
DrDan
Just add it at the beginning and it will be fine. If you skip it, it will be a little thinner.
DrDan
Nikki
I just made this and it was the best stew ever. I substituted half homemade chicken broth and half red wine for the beef broth, because that is what I had in the house. Just delish, and I never, ever comment online. Even my super picky oldest child, who eats nothing, pronounced it good.
DrDan
This is one of my most under-appreciated recipes. I do really like this one also.
Thanks for the note
DrDan
Linda
My husband and I just love your recipes. We especially enjoy the instructions and the pictures which make preparing the food easy. And the occasional misspelled word makes us chuckle and wonder if it's on purpose!!!
DrDan
Thanks for the comment. This misspells are me at full speed. I need to slow it down a bit at times...
Martha (MM)
Thanks so much for linking up your slow cooker recipes for my slow cooker recipe index. I have to say that yours look so appetizing! These are just the kind of meals I was looking for!
Jeffrey and Juli
Juli here. I totally agree with you that Cook's Illustrated Recipes are completely fussy and overly complicated. Jeffrey thinks the fussiness is worthwhile, but it would absolutely make me crazy to cook the way CI does every day. Your beef stew looks great! Thanks for the recipe variation for the crock pot.