This is my best crock pot beef stew—tender beef, potatoes, and carrots simmered in a rich, hearty gravy. Adapted from a Cook’s Illustrated classic and simplified into an easy, foolproof recipe for any size slow cooker, from a 2-quart mini to a full family-sized one.
⏰ Quick Answer: How Long to Cook Beef Stew in a Crock Pot
Cook on LOW for about 8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and the potatoes are soft; if needed, cook an extra 1–2 hours until tender.
Jump To (scroll for more)
- ❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 🐄 Ingredients
- 👨🍳 Quick Overview: Crock Pot Beef Stew
- ⏰ How Long to Cook Beef Stew in a Crock Pot
- 👨🍳 Cooking Tips to Make It Right Every Time
- ✔️ Meat Tips and Variations
- ✔️ Vegetable Tips and Variations
- ↕️ How to Make This Beef Stew Any Size
- 🔥 Stovetop Instructions
- 🍽️ What to Serve with Beef Stew
- ♨️ More Cozy Crock Pot Soups and Stews
- ❄️ Leftovers—Storage and Reheating
- ❓ FAQs
- 📖The Recipe Card
Featured Comment by Lauren:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"This beef stew is the best! I made the smaller version and it was absolutely perfect."
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Tender beef and hearty vegetables in rich, flavorful gravy — pure comfort food.
- Adapted from a proven Cook’s Illustrated recipe, simplified for real-life cooking.
- Works in any size slow cooker — from 2-quart mini to family-size.
- Beginner-friendly — simple steps, no fancy ingredients, and no fail points.
- Flexible — scales up or down easily and reheats even better the next day.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE RECIPE POST CONTENT ON:
What to make next: Try my Slow Cooker Chicken Stew (Easy Any Size Crock Pot) for another hearty slow-cooked classic.
🐄 Ingredients
- Beef stew meat — use pre-cut or trim your own from a chuck roast for better marbling and size control.
- Vegetables — Yukon Gold or red potatoes (no peeling needed), carrots, and frozen peas — all easy prep, no fuss.
- Aromatics — onion and garlic for depth of flavor.
- Pantry ingredients — beef broth, tomato paste, soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Flour — for coating the beef before browning; it thickens the gravy naturally.
- Optional extras — dry thyme and a bay leaf if you want to layer in more flavor.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: Crock Pot Beef Stew
1. Prep meat and vegetables
Use precut stew meat or cut your own from a chuck roast.
Chop the onion, potatoes, and carrots. Mince or crush the garlic.
2. Brown for flavor
Dust the beef with flour and brown it over medium-high heat. Add to crock pot.
✅ Pro Tip: The flour helps to brown, which builds flavor and adds body to the stew. Skipping it will be noticeable.
In the same pan, cook the onion with the tomato paste and garlic. Deglaze the pan and add to the crock pot.
3. Combine and slow cook
Add all ingredients except the peas to the crock pot and stir well.
Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
4. Add peas and finish
Add the frozen peas for the last hour of cooking.
If the meat isn’t tender or potatoes aren’t soft, add more cooking time.
👇 Scroll down for the printable recipe card — or keep reading for cooking times, tips, and serving ideas.
⏰ How Long to Cook Beef Stew in a Crock Pot
Beef stew needs time for the meat to become fork-tender and the potatoes to soften — both crock pots and cuts of beef can vary, so trust tenderness over time.
- LOW: about 8 hours
- HIGH: about 4–5 hours
If the beef isn’t tender, keep cooking another 1–2 hours — stew rewards patience.
👨🍳 Cooking Tips to Make It Right Every Time
- Rule #1: Don’t undercook. Beef stew only shines when the beef is fork-tender and the potatoes are soft. If it’s not there yet, keep cooking.
- Browning builds flavor. Dump-and-go works, but browning the beef and cooking the aromatics first adds rich depth you’ll taste in every bite.
- Stew is flexible. A little more or less meat or veggies won’t hurt — it’s hard to mess this up.
- Keep warm works. After cooking, the stew can hold safely on the keep warm setting for up to 2 hours.
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✔️ Meat Tips and Variations
- Best choice — chuck roast has the right balance of marbling and tenderness. Trim and cube it yourself for better texture.
- Other cuts — sirloin tip or pre-cut stew meat work but are usually leaner and slightly less tender.
- Size matters — keep cubes about 1 to 1½ inches for even cooking and juicy bites.
- Flavor boosters — soy sauce deepens the beef flavor; Worcestershire or tomato paste add richness too.
✔️ Vegetable Tips and Variations
- Potatoes — Yukon Gold or red hold their shape and don’t need peeling; peel Russets if you use them.
- Cut size — larger chunks cook evenly and stay intact; small pieces fall apart.
- Other add-ins — celery, green beans, parsnips, or sweet potatoes work for variety.
- Peas — add frozen peas in the last hour so they stay bright and tender.
↕️ How to Make This Beef Stew Any Size
The full recipe makes about 4 servings (around 8 cups) and fits nicely in a 3–4 quart crock pot. But it’s easy to scale up or down:
- Half batch — adjust the recipe card to 2 servings. Fits in a 2-quart mini crock pot.
- Full recipe — works as written for 4 servings in a 3–4 quart crock pot (my standard).
- Double batch — adjust the recipe card to 8 servings. Fits in a 6-quart or larger crock pot.
- Cooking time stays the same no matter the size.
✅ Pro Tip: Always measure with the ingredient list, not the instructions, since instructions don’t auto-scale.
🔥 Stovetop Instructions
- Use a Dutch oven.
- Follow the same steps as the crock pot version: brown the floured beef, then cook the onion, garlic, and tomato paste in the same pan. Deglaze and return the beef to the pot.
- Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover.
- Simmer 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. If the beef isn’t fork-tender or the potatoes aren’t soft, simmer an additional 30–60 minutes.
- Stir in the frozen peas about 15–20 minutes before the end of cooking so they stay bright and tender.
🍽️ What to Serve with Beef Stew
I like to serve this hearty beef stew with something to soak up the gravy and balance the richness:
- Bread — rustic peasant bread, crusty French bread, or easy dinner rolls.
- Biscuits or cornbread — Cornbread Biscuits or Old Fashioned Cornbread work perfectly.
- Vegetables on the side — green salad or fresh-cut veggies balance the richness.
♨️ More Cozy Crock Pot Soups and Stews
Check out other popular crock pot soups:
❄️ Leftovers—Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator — store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer — freeze for up to 3 months in portion-sized containers or freezer bags.
- Reheating — thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen. Warm gently on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally. The microwave works fine for single servings.
✅ Pro Tip: Like most stews, the flavor deepens after a night in the fridge — leftovers often taste even better.
❓ FAQs
Yes. The results will still be very good. But browning the beef with a dusting of flour and cooking the onion, garlic, and tomato paste first adds more flavor thanks to the Maillard reaction.
This is a thick stew, so you’ll more likely want to thin it. Stir in ½–1 cup of broth to reach your preferred thickness.”
To thicken, use 1 tablespoon of tapioca at the start of cooking or a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water, added near the end.
No. Whether you make 2, 4, or 8 servings, the cooking time is the same — just check that the beef is fork-tender and the potatoes are soft before serving.
Yes, stew tastes even better the next day. Store in the fridge and reheat gently.
Yes, swap out half the broth for a medium-bodied red wine like Pinot Noir.
📖The Recipe Card
Easy Crock Pot Beef Stew (Best Any Size Slow Cooker Recipe)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 1½–2 lbs chuck roast, trimmed - or stew meat
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion - diced
- 2 cloves garlic - minced or crushed
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 3 oz tomato paste
- ½ lb red or Yukon Gold potatoes - cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 carrots - peeled cut into ⅓ inch medallions
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 bay leaves - Optional
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme - Optional
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare meat and vegetables
- Trim about 1½ to 2 pounds of boneless chuck roast into 1-inch cubes or use precut stew meat.
- Peel 2 carrots and cut them into ½-inch thick medallions. Scrub ½ pound of red or Yukon gold potatoes and cut them into chunks. Other potatoes could be used, but if using russet potatoes, peel them.
- Dice 1 medium onion and crush or mince 2 cloves of garlic.
Precook for flavor
- Dust beef lightly with flour and place in hot oil over medium-high heat in the large skillet—brown for about 7-8 minutes. Move the meat to the crock pot, but keep any liquid in the pan.
- Add the onion, 3 oz. of tomato paste and 1 cup of beef broth to the pan and scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Cook until the onions are softening and just starting to clear. Add the garlic for the last minute.
Assemble and Cook
- Add all ingredients except the peas to the crock pot and stir well. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
Finishing
- Add the frozen peas for the last hour of cooking.
- Cook longer if needed until beef and potatoes are tender
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Best beef: chuck roast or sirloin tip, cut and trimmed. Precut stew meat works too.
- The recipe makes 2 quarts (fits a 3-quart crock pot). For a family dinner, double it for a 6-quart or larger crock pot.
- Stovetop instructions are in the post.
- In a hurry? Skip browning and just dump ingredients in — still delicious.
- Check for beef tenderness before stopping cooking. Some beef may take a bit longer.
- Leftovers are good in the refrigerator for 4 days or 3 months in a freezer.
- Nutrition based on a generous 2-cup serving.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Originally adapted from a Cook’s Illustrated recipe, this version was simplified for crock pots of any size. Recipe and post updated in 2025 with streamlined instructions, scaling tips, and stovetop option.
Publisher Note: Originally published March 5, 2011. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents for easier navigation. The technique has also been slightly updated to match my current practice.
Alexis says
Is the only liquid besides the soy sauce 14 oz beef broth? Does that end up being enough?
DrDan says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
Hi Michele,
Thanks for the note. I do like relatively simple cooking.
Dan
Judy Uhl says
Do you peel your potatoes or leave the skin on?
DrDan says
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 says
Hi Dr. Dan,
Have you tried this in an electric pressure cooker? If so, how long did you cook it for?
Thanks!
DrDan says
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 says
What is a serving size? 1 cup? 1/2 cup?
DrDan says
A little over a cup.
Darlene says
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 says
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 says
When did you brown the meat? Before the onions?
DrDan says
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 says
Can you sub cornstarch for the tapioca? And if so, how much do you recommend? Thanks!
DrDan says
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 says
I'm not sure where the tapioca goes? I'm a novice :)
DrDan says
Just add it at the beginning and it will be fine. If you skip it, it will be a little thinner.
DrDan
Nikki says
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 says
This is one of my most under-appreciated recipes. I do really like this one also.
Thanks for the note
DrDan
Linda says
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 says
Thanks for the comment. This misspells are me at full speed. I need to slow it down a bit at times...
Martha (MM) says
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 says
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.